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 = 598 kg, m2 = 746 kg and m3 = 333 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?

Explanation / Answer

total mass m = 598 + 746 + 333 = 1677 kg

From Newton's Second Law, force = mass * acceleration
Fa = 1677 * 0.25 = 419.25 N

The force required to accelerate the first rock on its own to 0.400 m/s

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