A toy helicopter flies forward with a force of 15 N into an oncoming wind of 10 N. The force of gravity pulls the helicopter down with a force of 5 N, but the propeller is providing an upward force of 10 N.

Question

Which of the following accurately describes the helicopter’s force?

Answer 1

To analyze the forces acting on the toy helicopter, we can consider both the horizontal and vertical components separately.

Horizontal Forces:

• Forward force from the helicopter: +15 N
• Opposing force from the wind: -10 N

Net horizontal force: \[ F_{\text{horizontal}} = 15,N - 10,N = 5,N \text{ (forward)} \]

Vertical Forces:

• Upward force from the propeller: +10 N
• Downward force from gravity: -5 N

Net vertical force: \[ F_{\text{vertical}} = 10,N - 5,N = 5,N \text{ (upward)} \]

Summary of Forces:

• The net horizontal force is 5 N forward.
• The net vertical force is 5 N upward.

Putting this together, the helicopter is experiencing a net forward force of 5 N and a net upward force of 5 N. Thus, it is flying forward and upward with these net forces acting upon it.