Question

select the correct answer. denise is conducting a physics experiment to measure the acceleration of a falling object when it slows down and comes to a stop. she drops a wooden block with a mass of 0.5 kilograms on a sensor on the floor. the sensor measures the force of the impact as 4.9 newtons. what’s the acceleration of the wooden block when it hits the sensor? use f = ma.
a. 2.45 m/s²
b. 4.4 m/s²
c. 5.4 m/s²
d. 9.8 m/s²

Explanation:

Step1: Recall the formula

We know the formula \( F = ma \), where \( F \) is force, \( m \) is mass, and \( a \) is acceleration. We need to solve for \( a \), so we can rearrange the formula to \( a=\frac{F}{m} \).

Step2: Substitute the values

Given that \( F = 4.9 \) newtons and \( m = 0.5 \) kilograms. Substitute these values into the formula \( a=\frac{F}{m} \), we get \( a=\frac{4.9}{0.5} \).

Step3: Calculate the result

Calculate \( \frac{4.9}{0.5} \), which is equal to \( 9.8 \, m/s^2 \).

Answer:

D. \( 9.8 \, m/s^2 \)