Question

the student finds that it is easier to push her little brother than it was to push her big brother. what is the most likely reason for this?
o the students little brother has less mass, so he requires less force to push than her big brother.
o the students big brother has less inertia than her little brother because he has a larger mass.
o the students little brother will require more force to push than her big brother because he has less mass.
o the students big brother will keep swinging without slowing down because of his larger mass.

Explanation:

Step1: Analyze Newton's second law

Newton's second law is \(F = ma\) (where \(F\) is force, \(m\) is mass, and \(a\) is acceleration). If we assume the acceleration (how quickly the swing starts moving, for example) is the same when pushing both brothers.

Step2: Compare forces based on mass

Since \(F = ma\), and if \(a\) is constant. A smaller mass (\(m\)) means a smaller force (\(F\)). The little - brother has less mass. So, \(F_{little}=m_{little}a\) and \(F_{big}=m_{big}a\), and \(m_{little}

Answer:

The student's little brother has less mass, so he requires less force to push than her big brother.