Question

When landing after a spectacular somersault, a 41 kg gymnast decelerates by pushing straight down on the mat. Calculate the force she must exert if her deceleration is 7.00 times the acceleration due to gravity. Explicitly show how you follow the steps in the Problem-Solving Strategy for Newton's laws of motion.

Answer 1

The force the gymnast must exert is 2812.6 N.

Step-by-step explanation:

Given;

mass of the gymnast, m = 41 kg

her deceleration, -a = 7g = 7 x 9.8m/s² = 68.6 m/s²

Apply Newton's second law of motion;

F = ma

where;

F is the magnitude of the force exerted

m is the mass of the gymnast

a is the deceleration

Substitute in the given values of m and a into the force equation;

F = ma

F = 41 x 68.6

F = 2812.6 N

Therefore, the force the gymnast must exert is 2812.6 N.