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Ch 07: Newton's Third Law
Chapter 7, Problem 7

(b) How much force does the astronaut exert on his chair while accelerating straight up at 10 m/s^2?

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Newton's Second Law of Motion

Newton's Second Law states that the force acting on an object is equal to the mass of that object multiplied by its acceleration (F = ma). This principle is fundamental in understanding how forces affect the motion of objects, including the astronaut in the question, as it allows us to calculate the force exerted based on the mass and the acceleration experienced.
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Weight

Weight is the force exerted by gravity on an object, calculated as the product of the object's mass and the acceleration due to gravity (W = mg). In this scenario, the astronaut's weight contributes to the total force he exerts on the chair, as he must counteract this gravitational force while also accelerating upwards.
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Net Force

Net force is the total force acting on an object when all individual forces are combined. In the case of the astronaut accelerating upwards, the net force is the difference between the upward force he exerts on the chair and the downward gravitational force (weight). Understanding net force is crucial for determining the actual force exerted by the astronaut during acceleration.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
A 50,000 kg locomotive is traveling at 10 m/s when its engine and brakes both fail. How far will the locomotive roll before it comes to a stop? Assume the track is level.
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Textbook Question
A 1.0 kg wood block is pressed against a vertical wood wall by the 12 N force shown in FIGURE P6.57. If the block is initially at rest, will it move upward, move downward, or stay at rest?
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Textbook Question
A large box of mass M is moving on a horizontal surface at speed v₀. A small box of mass m sits on top of the large box. The coefficients of static and kinetic friction between the two boxes are μₛ and μₖ, respectively. Find an expression for the shortest distance dₘᵢₙ in which the large box can stop without the small box slipping.
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Textbook Question
A 1000 kg car is pushing an out-of-gear 2000 kg truck that has a dead battery. When the driver steps on the accelerator, the drive wheels of the car push horizontally against the ground with a force of 4500 N. Rolling friction can be neglected. (a) What is the magnitude of the force of the car on the truck?
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Textbook Question
Blocks with masses of 1 kg, 2 kg, and 3 kg are lined up in a row on a frictionless table. All three are pushed forward by a 12 N force applied to the 1 kg block. (b) How much force does the 2 kg block exert on the 1 kg block?
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Textbook Question
The foot of a 55 kg sprinter is on the ground for 0.25 s while her body accelerates from rest to 2.0 m/s. (b) What is the magnitude of the friction force?
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