To determine the force required for Zeke to accelerate at a rate of 0.8 m/s², we can use Newton's second law of motion, which states:
\[ F = m \cdot a \]
where:
- \( F \) is the force,
- \( m \) is the mass, and
- \( a \) is the acceleration.
Given:
- Mass \( m = 50 \) kg
- Acceleration \( a = 0.8 \) m/s²
Now, plug in the values:
\[ F = 50 , \text{kg} \cdot 0.8 , \text{m/s}² \] \[ F = 40 , \text{N} \]
Therefore, the correct answer is c) 40 N.