An overnight rainstorm has caused a major roadblock. Three massive rocks of mass

Question

An overnight rainstorm has caused a major roadblock.  Three massive rocks of mass m1 = 528 kg, m2 = 769 kg and m3 = 366 kg have blocked a busy road.  The rocks are side by side blocking the road and lined up from left to right in order as m1, m2 and m3.  The city calls a local contractor to use a bulldozer to clear the road.  The bulldozer applies a constant force to m1 to slide the rocks off the road.  Assuming the road is a flat frictionless surface and the rocks are all in contact, what force, FA, must be applied to m1 to slowly accelerate the group of rocks from the road at 0.250 m/s2? Use the value found above for FA to find the force, F12, exerted by the first rock of mass 528 kg on the middle rock of 769 kg.

Explanation / Answer

FA =ma = (m1 + m2+ m3) x 0.250 = 415.75 N

so FA - F12 = 528 x 0.250

F2 = 415.75 - (528 x 0.250) = 283.75 N

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