Question

What net force is required to push a sofa with a mass of 59 kilograms so that it accelerates at 9.75 meters/second2? (Assume a flat, frictionless surface.)

Answer 1

According to Newton's Second Law, F(net) = ma

Therefore, F(net) = 59 * 9.75 = 575.25 N

Answer 2

The equation for force is F (force in N) = m (in kg) x a (in m/s^2). We can now plug our known values into the equation and get F = 59kg x 9.75m/s^2. Finally, we can multiply out and get an answer of 575.25 N. Using sig figs, we can change that to an accurate answer of 580 N.

Hope this helps!