Physics (10th Edition)

Published by Wiley
ISBN 10: 1118486897
ISBN 13: 978-1-11848-689-4

Chapter 4 - Forces and Newton's Laws of Motion - Problems - Page 114: 15

Answer

The skydiver's acceleration has a magnitude of $1.2m/s^{2}$ and is directed upward.

Work Step by Step

Let's take upward to be $+y$ direction. Therefore, $W=-915N$ and $F_{drag}=1027N$. The total force acting on the skydiver is $$\sum F=W+F_{drag}=1027-915=112N$$ The mass of the skydiver $m=93.4kg$. The acceleration of the skydiver, according to Newton's 2nd Law of Motion, would be $$a=\frac{\sum F}{m}=1.2m/s^{2}$$ The magnitude of $a$ is $1.2m/s^{2}$. Since $a\gt0$, its direction follows $+y$ direction, which means it points upward.
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