Question

A boat moves through the water with two forces acting on it. One is a 2423 N forward push by the motor on the propeller, and the other is an 2191 N resistive force due to the water around the bow. What is the acceleration of the 1238 boat. Answer in units of m/s2

Answer 1

The resultant force acting on the boat is

F = 2423[N] - 2191[N] = 232 N.

According to the second Newton's law,

F = Ma ==> a = F/M = 232[N]/1238[kg] ≈ 0.1874 m/s².