Let's solve this problem using Newton's second law of motion, which states that the force acting on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration. The formula is given by:
[tex]\[ F = m \times a \][/tex]
where:
- [tex]\( F \)[/tex] is the force,
- [tex]\( m \)[/tex] is the mass of the object,
- [tex]\( a \)[/tex] is the acceleration of the object.
Given:
- The mass [tex]\( m \)[/tex] of the object is 20 kilograms,
- The acceleration [tex]\( a \)[/tex] is 5 meters per second squared (m/s²).
Step-by-step solution:
1. Write down the formula for force:
[tex]\[ F = m \times a \][/tex]
2. Substitute the given values for mass [tex]\( m \)[/tex] and acceleration [tex]\( a \)[/tex]:
[tex]\[ F = 20 \, \text{kg} \times 5 \, \text{m/s}^2 \][/tex]
3. Perform the multiplication:
[tex]\[ 20 \times 5 = 100 \][/tex]
4. So, the force [tex]\( F \)[/tex] acting on the object is:
[tex]\[ F = 100 \, \text{N} \][/tex]
Therefore, the force acting on the object is 100 newtons.
