Question

An object is being acted upon by three forces and moves with constant velocity. One force is 46.6 N along the x-axis. The second is 39.5 N along the y-axis. What is the magnitude of the third force?

Answer 1

If an object is moving at a constant velocity, then it is not accelerating. Therefore, the net forces acting upon it is zero. Net force =0.

The sum of the first two forces, in vector form, are 46.6 xhat +39.5 yhat, magnitude sqrt(46.6^2+39.5^2). The third force, therefore, must have the same magnitude, in the opposite direction, -46.6 xhat -39.5 yhat.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

cool