Force and Acceleration – Newton’s 2nd Law

1. A 10 kg bowling ball would require what force to accelerate down an

alleyway at a rate of 3 m/s²?
2. What is the mass of a truck if it produces a force of 14,000 N while
accelerating at a rate of 5 m/s²?
3. What is the acceleration of softball if it has a mass of 0.5 kg and hits the
catcher's glove with a force of 25 N?
4. What is the mass of a falling rock if it produces a force of 147 N?
5. A car has a mass of 600 kg. As it sets off its engine provides a forward force
of 1500 N on the car.
a) Determine the acceleration of the car.
b) Later, the forward force is reduced to 800 N. An air resistance force of
300 N acts on the car in the opposite direction to its travel.
i) Determine the resultant force acting on the car.
ii) Determine its acceleration.
6. A parachutist is falling vertically downwards through the air. His weight is
750 N and he is acted on by an upward air resistance of 600 N.
a) Draw a diagram to show the forces acting on the parachutist.
b) Determine the resultant force acting on the parachutist.
c) The mass of the parachutist is 75 kg. Determine the acceleration.
 Force and Acceleration – Newton’s 2nd Law

1. A 10 kg bowling ball would require what force to accelerate down an

alleyway at a rate of 3 m/s²?
F=ma F = 10 x 3 F=30 N
2. What is the mass of a truck if it produces a force of 14,000 N while
accelerating at a rate of 5 m/s²?
m=F/a m = 14,000/5 m = 2,800 kg
3. What is the acceleration of softball if it has a mass of 0.5 kg and hits the
catcher's glove with a force of 25 N?
a=F/m a = 25/0.5 a = 50 m/s2
4. What is the mass of a falling rock if it produces a force of 147 N?
m=F/a m = 147/10 m = 14.7 kg
5. A car has a mass of 600 kg. As it sets off its engine provides a forward force
of 1500 N on the car.
a) Determine the acceleration of the car.
a=F/m a = 1500/600 a = 2.5 m/s2
b) Later, the engine force is reduced to 800 N. A drag force of 300 N acts
on the car in the opposite direction to its velocity.
i) Determine the resultant force acting on the car.
F = 800 – 300 F = 500 N
ii) Determine its acceleration.
a=F/m a = 500/600 a = 0.83 m/s2
6. A parachutist is falling vertically downwards through the air. His weight is
750 N and he is acted on by a drag force of 600 N.
a) Draw a diagram to show the forces acting on the parachutist.
b) Determine the resultant force acting on the parachutist.
F = 750 – 600 F = 150 N
b) The mass of the parachutist is 75 kg. Determine the acceleration.
a=F/m a = 150/75 a = 2 m/s2