Final answer:
To find the total force exerted by two individuals on an object, one must add the forces vectorially. The acceleration of an object can be calculated using Newton's second law, F = ma, by dividing the total force by the object's mass. When considering friction, the minimum force to move an object is found using the coefficient of static friction and the normal force.
Step-by-step explanation:
Finding Required Forces and Acceleration
To solve the problem where two ice skaters are pushing a third, it’s important to first understand that force is a vector quantity which means it has both magnitude and direction. When we have two forces like F1 and F2 acting at angles, we must calculate the resultant force (Ftot) using vector addition.
For the van being moved by Hans and Frans, if we ignore friction and other resistive forces, the total force exerted on the van is the sum of the forces from Hans (Fh) and Frans (Fr). Using Newton's second law (F = ma), we can determine the van's acceleration by dividing the total force exerted by the van's mass.
Now, in a situation where a contestant must push a block of ice, knowing the coefficient of friction from a reference table, we can calculate the minimum force required to overcome static friction using the formula Fstatic friction = μs × normal force. Once the block is moving, its acceleration can be found again using Newton's second law, taking into account the kinetic friction.