Question

workers in a warehouse are moving supplies on carts. the carts are identical, but they are holding piles of different objects.

the carts have the same acceleration when the workers begin to move them. order the supplies to show the size of the force applied to each cart.

5 bags of cement
10 concrete blocks
2 metal rods
20 plastic pipes

Explanation:

Step1: Calculate mass of each cart

• For 5 bags of cement: $m_1 = 5\times30=150$ kg
• For 10 concrete blocks: $m_2 = 10\times25 = 250$ kg
• For 2 metal rods: $m_3=2\times3 = 6$ kg
• For 20 plastic pipes: $m_4=20\times2=40$ kg

Step2: Use Newton's second law $F = ma$ (since $a$ is same)

Since $F = ma$ and $a$ (acceleration) is constant, the force is directly proportional to mass. So we order the masses.

Answer:

10 concrete blocks (largest mass, so largest force), 5 bags of cement, 20 plastic pipes, 2 metal rods (smallest mass, so smallest force)