High School

Why is the answer to this question 245 newtons and not -245 newtons?

What is the normal force (F_N) on a 25 kg bike?

Answer :

Final answer:

The normal force (FN) on a 25 kg bicycle is 245 N and defined as positive because force vectors pointing upwards are usually defined as positive in physics as they counteract the force of gravity.

Explanation:

The normal force is the force that a surface exerts on an object that is pressing against it. The normal force is always perpendicular to the surface and is responsible for keeping objects from falling through the surface. In this case, you're working with a bicycle, a 25kg object, on what we assume is a flat surface.

The formula for the normal force (FN) is m*g where m is the mass of the object and g is the acceleration due to gravity. In this case, m is 25kg and g is approximately 9.8 m/s^2

When you multiply these together, you get roughly 245 Newtons. This is defined as positive because force vectors pointing upwards are usually defined as positive in physics, while those pointing downwards are usually defined as negative. Since a normal force counteracts the force of gravity, it is considered an upward force, hence it is positive.

Learn more about Normal Force here:

https://brainly.com/question/35478728

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Because Normal Force points in a vertical direction for a bike