A little car has a maximum acceleration of 2.57 m/s^2. What is the new maximum acceleration of the little car if it tows another car that has the same mass?

Question

A little car has a maximum acceleration of 2.57 m/s^2.  What is the new maximum acceleration of the little car if it tows another car that has the same mass?

anonymous · Answer

$$F = ma$$
1 car: mass is M; acceleration is 2.57 m/s^2.
Net force acting on the car is 2.57M Newtons.

If another car is connected, then the net force will be acting on both cars.

2 cars: total mass is 2M; net force is 2.57M Newtons.
Acceleration is (2.57M)/(2M), or 1.285 m/s^2.

Simply said, the new maximum acceleration will be one half of the initial maximum acceleration.

anonymous · Answer

Thank you!