During a crash, a dummy with a mass of 60.0 kg hits an airbag that exerts a constant force on the dummy. The acceleration of the dummy is –250 m/s2. What force did the airbag exert on the dummy?

Question

–4.17 kN
–15.0 kN
–23.5 kN
–240 kN

Answer 1

To find the force exerted by the airbag on the dummy, we can use Newton's second law which states that force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma).

Given:
Mass (m) = 60.0 kg
Acceleration (a) = -250 m/s^2 (negative sign indicates the direction of force opposite to the direction of motion)

Using the formula F = ma, we have:
F = 60.0 kg * (-250 m/s^2)
F = -15000 N

Converting this force to kilonewtons:
-15000 N = -15.0 kN

Therefore, the force exerted by the airbag on the dummy is -15.0 kN.