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

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Newton's Second Law of Motion, the net force acting on an object is equal to its mass multiplied by its acceleration. In this case, the particle is being accelerated by a 10-N force, but then encounters an equal and opposite 10-N force. The net force on the particle then becomes zero, which means there is no further acceleration or deceleration. Therefore, the particle continues at the speed it had when it encountered the second force.

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