A car by itself is capable of a certain maximum acceleration. When it tows a car of the same mass, its maximum acceleration is
A)one half.
B)one third.
C)one fourth.
D)the same.
E)none of these

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When a car tows another car of the same mass, the total mass of the system doubles. Since acceleration is inversely proportional to mass (a = F/m), doubling the mass halves the acceleration, assuming the force (engine power) remains constant.

A Car by Itself Is Capable of a Certain Maximum