Question

question 13 of 29
an airplane with a total mass of 950 kg has an engine malfunction, causing it to provide a constant horizontal force of 3000 n. the pilot, who has a mass of 65 kg, decides to eject from the airplane. with the reduced total mass, what is the new approximate acceleration of the airplane?
a. 3.7 m/s²
b. 3.2 m/s²
c. 3.4 m/s²
d. 2.8 m/s²

Explanation:

Step1: Calculate the reduced mass

The initial mass of the airplane is 950 kg and the mass of the pilot is 65 kg. The reduced mass $m$ of the airplane after the pilot ejects is $m=950 - 65=885$ kg.

Step2: Use Newton's second - law

Newton's second - law is $F = ma$, where $F$ is the force, $m$ is the mass, and $a$ is the acceleration. We know $F = 3000$ N and $m = 885$ kg. So, $a=\frac{F}{m}$.
Substitute the values: $a=\frac{3000}{885}\approx3.4$ m/s².

Answer:

C. 3.4 m/s²