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Chapter 4: Q8CQ (page 159)

Describe a situation in which the net external force on a system is not zero, yet its speed remains constant.

Short Answer

Expert verified

Any body moving in a circular path has centripetal acceleration, where the speed of the body remains constant when some external force acts on it.

Step by step solution

01

Defining Newton’s second law of motion

Newton’s second law of motion states that the acceleration of a system is directly proportional to the net external force acting on the system and is inversely proportional to the mass of the system.Mathematically

Fnet=ma

Here,Fnet is the net force, m is the mass, and a is the acceleration.

02

Explanation for situation of nonzero net external force having constant speed

In the situation where a body is moving in a circle with centripetal acceleration, the net external force acts on the body with the speed remaining constant. In this case, the force is applied perpendicular to the direction of velocity, which changes its direction without changing the speed.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Give a detailed example of how the exchange of a particle can result in an attractive force. (For example, consider one child pulling a toy out of the hands of another.)

(a) Find the magnitudes of the forces F1 and F2 that add to give the total force Ftot shown in Figure 4.35. This may be done either graphically or by using trigonometry.

(b) Show graphically that the same total force is obtained independent of the order of addition of F1and F2 .

(c) Find the direction and magnitude of some other pair of vectors that add to give Ftot . Draw these to scale on the same drawing used in part (b) or a similar picture.

Newton’s third law of motion tells us that forces always occur in pairs of equal and opposite magnitude. Explain how the choice of the “system of interest” affects whether one such pair of forces cancels.

(a) Give an example of different net external forces acting on the same system to produce different accelerations. (b) Give an example of the same net external force acting on systems of different masses, producing different accelerations. (c) What law accurately describes both effects? State it in words and as an equation.

Figure 4.39 shows Superhero and Trusty Sidekick hanging motionless from a rope. Superhero’s mass is 90.0 kg, while Trusty Sidekick’s is 55.0 kg, and the mass of the rope is negligible.

(a) Draw a free-body diagram of the situation showing all forces acting on Superhero, Trusty Sidekick, and the rope.

(b) Find the tension in the rope above Superhero.

(c) Find the tension in the rope between Superhero and Trusty Sidekick. Indicate on your free-body diagram the system of interest used to solve each part.
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