Sure, let's solve this problem step by step.
We know from Newton's second law of motion that the force [tex]\( F \)[/tex] acting on an object is the product of its mass [tex]\( m \)[/tex] and its acceleration [tex]\( a \)[/tex]. Mathematically, this relationship is expressed as:
[tex]\[ F = m \times a \][/tex]
Given:
- The net force [tex]\( F \)[/tex] exerted on the encyclopedia is 15 N (Newtons).
- The acceleration [tex]\( a \)[/tex] experienced by the encyclopedia is [tex]\( 5 \, \text{m/s}^2 \)[/tex] (meters per second squared).
We need to find the mass [tex]\( m \)[/tex] of the encyclopedia. To do this, we simply rearrange the equation to solve for [tex]\( m \)[/tex]:
[tex]\[ m = \frac{F}{a} \][/tex]
Now, we substitute in the given values:
- [tex]\( F = 15 \, \text{N} \)[/tex]
- [tex]\( a = 5 \, \text{m/s}^2 \)[/tex]
So,
[tex]\[ m = \frac{15 \, \text{N}}{5 \, \text{m/s}^2} \][/tex]
Now, perform the division:
[tex]\[ m = 3 \, \text{kg} \][/tex]
Therefore, the mass of the encyclopedia is [tex]\( 3 \, \text{kg} \)[/tex].
