8. A 50 kg box was slid along a floor by an applied force of 200 N. If the coefficient of frictionwas 0.50, what is its acceleration?

To solve this problem, we need to use Newton's second law of motion, which states that the acceleration of an object is equal to the net force acting on it divided by its mass.

Step 1: Identify the forces acting on the box. There are two forces acting on the box: the applied force (200 N) and the force of friction.

Step 2: Calculate the force of friction. The force of friction can be calculated using the formula: Friction = μN where μ is the coefficient of friction and N is the normal force. In this case, the normal force is equal to the weight of the box, which is its mass times the acceleration due to gravity (50 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 = 490 N). So, Friction = 0.50 * 490 N = 245 N

Step 3: Calculate the net force acting on the box. The net force is the difference between the applied force and the force of friction: Net force = Applied force - Friction Net force = 200 N - 245 N = -45 N

Step 4: Calculate the acceleration of the box. Now we can use Newton's second law to find the acceleration: Acceleration = Net force / Mass Acceleration = -45 N / 50 kg = -0.9 m/s^2

The negative sign indicates that the box is accelerating in the opposite direction of the applied force, which means it's slowing down. So, the acceleration of the box is -0.9 m/s^2.