Magnitude and Direction of Force Quick Check

Question

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Question
Which of the following scenarios accurately describes magnitude and direction?(1 point)
Responses

A car traveling northward with 5 kN of force could be brought to a stop by a northward force of 5 kN.
A car traveling northward with 5 kN of force could be brought to a stop by a northward force of 5 kN.

A car traveling northward with 5 kN of force could be brought to a stop by a southward force of 5 kg.
A car traveling northward with 5 kN of force could be brought to a stop by a southward force of 5 kg.

A car traveling northward with 5 kN of force could be brought to a stop by a southward force of 5 kN.
A car traveling northward with 5 kN of force could be brought to a stop by a southward force of 5 kN.

A car traveling northward with 5 kN of force could be brought to a stop by a southward force of 10 kN.

Answer 1

The correct scenario that accurately describes magnitude and direction is:

A car traveling northward with 5 kN of force could be brought to a stop by a southward force of 5 kN.

In this case, the southward force of 5 kN directly opposes the northward force of 5 kN, resulting in a net force of zero, which would bring the car to a stop.

To further clarify:

• 5 kN (northward) and 5 kN (southward) are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction, canceling each other out.
• The option regarding a southward force of 5 kg is incorrect because force is measured in newtons (kN), not kilograms (kg).
• A southward force of 10 kN would provide a net force of 5 kN (south), which would also stop the car, but the force must be equal to the initial force to simply bring it to a stop without causing acceleration away from its original direction.

Therefore, the most straightforward answer is indeed the first choice.