MEDAL GIVEN TO CORRECT ANSWER.
Dale and Alex push on opposite sides of a couch. Dale pushes to the left with a force of 250 N, while Alex pushes to the right with a force of 130 N. If the couch has a mass of 32 kg, what is the acceleration of the couch?

A. 3.8 m/s2 left
B. 12 m/s2 right
C. 12 m/s2 left
D. 3.8 m/s2 right

Question

MEDAL GIVEN TO CORRECT ANSWER. 
Dale and Alex push on opposite sides of a couch. Dale pushes to the left with a force of 250 N, while Alex pushes to the right with a force of 130 N. If the couch has a mass of 32 kg, what is the acceleration of the couch?

 		A.	3.8 m/s2 left
 		B.	12 m/s2 right
 		C.	12 m/s2 left
 		D.	3.8 m/s2 right

joannablackwelder · Answer

Find the net force. Then use F=ma.

joannablackwelder · Answer

Net force, since the forces are in opposite directions, is found by subtracting the smaller force from the larger.

joannablackwelder · Answer

The resultant would be in the direction of the larger force.

joannablackwelder · Answer

Can you take a stab at the net force?

anonymous · Answer

would it be A?@JoannaBlackwelder

joannablackwelder · Answer

Yup :)