You are holding onto a 100 kg basket of fish hanging over the side of a boat. What is the minimum force in Newtons you need to exert to keep the basket from falling back down into the ocean?
F = ma = 9.8 * 100
Steve is right if the basket is above the ocean water level. If the basket is submerged, buoyancy forces reduce the force required.
To calculate the minimum force required to keep the basket from falling back into the ocean, we need to consider the forces acting on the basket. Firstly, there is the force due to gravity pulling the basket downwards, which is the weight of the fish (100 kg) multiplied by the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s^2). This force, known as the gravitational force, can be calculated using the formula:
Gravitational force = mass × acceleration due to gravity
Gravitational force = 100 kg × 9.8 m/s^2
Gravitational force = 980 N
Therefore, the gravitational force acting on the basket is 980 Newtons.
To keep the basket from falling back into the ocean, an equal and opposite force needs to be exerted in the upward direction. According to Newton's third law of motion, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. So, the minimum force you need to exert on the basket is 980 Newtons in the upward direction.
Hence, you need to exert a minimum force of 980 Newtons to prevent the basket from falling back down into the ocean.