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

Question

anonymous · Answer

Your acceleration decreases by a magnitude of 2

2.57/2
=1.285N

anonymous · Answer

i believe it will still be 2.57/ a=F/m, F=f_frcition*mg. m cancels.

anonymous · Answer

?

anonymous · Answer

if you have one car that has an acceleration of 2.57 and you double the mass by adding another car the acceleration will be half of what it is with one car

jamesj · Answer

Brent is right.  The car exerts a maximum force, call it $ F_{max} $.  Now as F = ma, for that max force we have
$$ F_{max} = 2.57m $$

Now if the mass doubles, we have $ F_{max} = (2m)a_{new} $.  Because this must still be equal to the expression above, that means
$$ a_{new} = \frac{2.57}{2} m/s^2 $$

jamesj · Answer

To fill in the calculation, we have
$$ F_{max} = 2.57m $$
and $$ F_{max} = (2m)a_{new} $$
Hence
$$ 2.57m = 2ma_{new} $$
Cancel m from both sides and a_new is the expression above.

jamesj · Answer

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