College

A ball has a mass of 140 g. What is the force needed to accelerate the ball at [tex]$25 \, \text{m/s}^2$[/tex]?

(Formula: [tex]$F = ma$[/tex])

A. 3.5 N
B. 115 N
C. 165 N
D. 4.5 N

Answer :

To solve this problem, we need to find the force required to accelerate a ball with a given mass. The formula to find force is:

[tex]\[ F = ma \][/tex]

where:
- [tex]\( F \)[/tex] is the force in newtons (N),
- [tex]\( m \)[/tex] is the mass in kilograms (kg),
- [tex]\( a \)[/tex] is the acceleration in meters per second squared ([tex]\( m/s^2 \)[/tex]).

### Step-by-Step Solution

1. Convert the Mass:
- The mass of the ball is given as 140 grams. Since the standard unit of mass in this context is kilograms, we need to convert grams to kilograms.
- To convert grams to kilograms, divide by 1000:
[tex]\[
m = \frac{140 \, \text{grams}}{1000} = 0.14 \, \text{kg}
\][/tex]

2. Use the Given Acceleration:
- The acceleration provided is [tex]\( 25 \, m/s^2 \)[/tex].

3. Calculate the Force:
- Apply the formula [tex]\( F = ma \)[/tex]:
[tex]\[
F = 0.14 \, \text{kg} \times 25 \, m/s^2
\][/tex]
- Calculate the product:
[tex]\[
F = 3.5 \, \text{N}
\][/tex]

The force needed to accelerate the ball is [tex]\( 3.5 \, \text{N} \)[/tex]. Therefore, the correct answer is 3.5 N.