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Acceleration of Pail Problem

  1. Mar 9, 2004 #1
    What is the acceleration of a 20kg pail of cement that is pulled upward (not sideways)
    with a force of 300N.
    let g= 10m/s^2

    20kg*10m/s^2 = 200N
    a = (300N-200N)/20kg
    a = 5m/s^2

    The book gives me the answer as 2m/s^2...

    did I miss something? I beleive this to be a type o in the book.
  2. jcsd
  3. Mar 9, 2004 #2


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    Staff Emeritus
    Science Advisor

    Your answer is correct. You could also have calculated that

    The acceleration, neglecting gravity would be ma= 20kg a= 300N so a= 15 m/s2 and, since g= -10 m/s2 the acceleration, after taking gravity into account is 15-10= 5 m/s2.
  4. Mar 9, 2004 #3
    Yea prolly a typo

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