You are sitting in the back of a produce truck that has stopped at a red light.

Question

You are sitting in the back of a produce truck that has stopped at a red light. You want to measure its acceleration when the light turns green. You could actually measure the acceleration of the truck by measuring the increase in weight of a mass with a spring scale. You decide to hang a large potato on a spring scale. It weighs 4.6N. The light turns green. The truck begins to accelerate. As the truck accelerates apparent weight of the large potato increases to 5.03N as it swings from the vertical.

(a) To what angle does the potato swing from the vertical?
o
(b) What is the acceleration of the truck?
m/s/s

Explanation / Answer

The apparent accleration of the truck is
A^2 = a^2 + g^2
multiplying by m^2
(mA)^2 = (ma)^2 + (mg)^2

ma = sqrt (mA)^2-(mg)^2

ma = sqrt (mA)^2-(mg)^2

   = sqrt (5.03 N)^2 - ( 4.6 N)^2/ 9.8 m

= 2.03 N

truch weight W = 4.6 N

                 mg = 4.6 N

              m = 4.6 N/ g = 4.6 N/ 9.8 m/s^2 = 0.469 kg


ma = 2.03 N
(0.469 kg) a = 2.03 N

a = 4.32 m/s^2

angle = cos^-1 ( 4.6 N/5.03 N) = 23.86 degree

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