Discover the Exciting World of Physics!

What happens when a wheeled cart is moving to the right at a constant speed with two forces of equal magnitude acting upon it?

a) The cart accelerates to the right

b) The cart decelerates to the left

c) The cart moves at a constant speed

d) The cart changes direction randomly

Final Answer: The cart moves at a constant speed.

Answer:

When a wheeled cart moves at a constant speed and two equal magnitude forces are acting upon it, the cart continues to move at that constant speed. The forces are balanced with a net force of zero, aligning with Newton's first law of motion.

The question involves understanding the forces acting on a wheeled cart and its resulting motion. If the cart is moving to the right at constant speed and two forces of equal magnitude are acting upon it, the cart continues to move at the same speed without accelerating or decelerating.

According to Newton's first law of motion, an object in motion will remain in motion at a constant velocity unless acted upon by a net external force. Since the two forces are of equal magnitude, they must be acting in opposite directions, resulting in a net force of zero, and therefore, the cart maintains its constant speed.

Therefore, the best description of the forces and motion of the cart is that the cart moves at a constant speed, which corresponds to option (c).

← A reflection on anti noise technology in cars The exciting physics of projectile motion →