Question

forces unit 1 test review
the masses of four water vehicles and the net forces acting on them are recorded in a table below. which vehicle has the least acceleration?

vehicle | mass | force
jet ski | 1000 | 4200
sail boat | 1500 | 3600
speed boat | 1300 | 6000
surfboard | 400 | 1000

multiple - choice options: ○ jet ski ○ sail boat ○ ⦿ speed boat ○ surfboard

Explanation:

To determine which vehicle has the least acceleration, we use the formula \( a = \frac{F}{m} \) (Newton's second law, where \( a \) is acceleration, \( F \) is net force, and \( m \) is mass). We calculate the acceleration for each vehicle:

Step 1: Jet Ski

• Mass (\( m \)) = 1000
• Force (\( F \)) = 4200
• Acceleration: \( a = \frac{4200}{1000} = 4.2 \)

Step 2: Sail Boat

• Mass (\( m \)) = 1500
• Force (\( F \)) = 3600
• Acceleration: \( a = \frac{3600}{1500} = 2.4 \)

Step 3: Speed Boat

• Mass (\( m \)) = 1300
• Force (\( F \)) = 6000
• Acceleration: \( a = \frac{6000}{1300} \approx 4.62 \) (rounded to two decimal places)

Step 4: Surfboard

• Mass (\( m \)) = 400
• Force (\( F \)) = 1000
• Acceleration: \( a = \frac{1000}{400} = 2.5 \)

Now we compare the accelerations:

• Jet Ski: \( 4.2 \)
• Sail Boat: \( 2.4 \)
• Speed Boat: \( \approx 4.62 \)
• Surfboard: \( 2.5 \)

The smallest acceleration is \( 2.4 \), which corresponds to the Sail Boat.

Answer:

Sail Boat