A particle is being accelerated through space by a 10-N force.Suddenly the particle encounters a second force of 10 N in the opposite direction.The particle with both forces acting
A)is brought to a rapid halt.
B)decelerates gradually to a halt.
C)continues at the same speed it had before encountering the second force.
D)theoretically tends to accelerate toward the speed of light.
E)none of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since the two forces have equal magnitude and are acting in opposite directions, they cancel each other out and the particle will continue at the same velocity (speed and direction) that it had before encountering the second force. Newton's first law states that an object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an external force, and in this case, the external forces cancel out.

A Particle Is Being Accelerated Through Space by a 10-N