Question

if you push a small toy car with a certain amount of force, and then push a large truck with the same amount of force, which vehicle will accelerate more?
a) the small toy car.
b) the large truck.
c) both will accelerate the same amount.
d) neither will accelerate.

Explanation:

Step1: Recall Newton's Second Law

Newton's second law states that the acceleration \( a \) of an object is given by the formula \( a=\frac{F}{m} \), where \( F \) is the net force acting on the object and \( m \) is the mass of the object.

Step2: Analyze the Force and Mass

In both cases (pushing the small toy car and pushing the large truck), the force \( F \) applied is the same (as per the problem statement: "same amount of force"). The mass \( m \) of the small toy car is less than the mass of the large truck (\( m_{\text{car}} < m_{\text{truck}} \)).

Step3: Compare Accelerations

Using \( a = \frac{F}{m} \), for a constant force \( F \), acceleration \( a \) is inversely proportional to mass \( m \) (i.e., \( a\propto\frac{1}{m} \)). Since the mass of the toy car is smaller, its acceleration will be larger than the acceleration of the truck. So the small toy car will have a greater acceleration.

Answer:

a) The small toy car