A block of mass 1 kg on a frictionless horizontal surface is pushed with a 3 N force. What is its acceleration?

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Multiple Choice

A block of mass 1 kg on a frictionless horizontal surface is pushed with a 3 N force. What is its acceleration?

Acceleration follows Newton’s second law: a = F_net / m. On a frictionless surface, the block has only the push as the horizontal force, so F_net is 3 N. With a mass of 1 kg, the acceleration is 3 N ÷ 1 kg = 3 m/s^2, in the same direction as the push. The other numerical choices would require different net forces for a 1 kg mass (for example, a smaller acceleration would need a smaller force, a larger acceleration would need a larger force), so they don’t match the given situation.

Acceleration follows Newton’s second law: a = F_net / m. On a frictionless surface, the block has only the push as the horizontal force, so F_net is 3 N. With a mass of 1 kg, the acceleration is 3 N ÷ 1 kg = 3 m/s^2, in the same direction as the push. The other numerical choices would require different net forces for a 1 kg mass (for example, a smaller acceleration would need a smaller force, a larger acceleration would need a larger force), so they don’t match the given situation.

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