Question

Two forces act on an object. One force has a magnitude of 30N directed west, and the other force has a magnitude of 12 N directed east. What is the net force on the object? (1 point)

18N west

42N west

18N east

42 N east

Answer 1

To find the net force acting on the object, we need to consider the direction and magnitude of each force.

1. The first force is 30 N directed west.
2. The second force is 12 N directed east.

Since west and east are opposite directions, we can subtract the magnitudes of the two forces:

Net force = Force west - Force east
Net force = 30 N (west) - 12 N (east)

Since we're considering west as positive and east as negative, we can rephrase this as:

Net force = 30 N - 12 N = 18 N (west)

Thus, the net force on the object is **18 N west**.