A particle of mass 0.3 kg is subjected to a force F = -kx with k = 15 ...
Let's analyze the given problem step by step.
Given:
Mass of the particle (m) = 0.3 kg
Force (F) = -kx (where k = 15 N-m-1 and x = 20 cm = 0.2 m)
To find:
Initial acceleration (a)
We can use Newton's second law of motion, which states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass.
Mathematically, it can be represented as:
F = ma
Given force, F = -kx
Substituting this in the equation, we have:
-mkx = ma
Simplifying the equation, we get:
a = -kx/m
Substituting the given values, we have:
a = -15 N-m-1 * 0.2 m / 0.3 kg
Simplifying further, we get:
a = -10 m/s2
Since the negative sign denotes the direction of the force, the acceleration is also negative, indicating that the particle is moving in the opposite direction of the force.
However, the question asks for the magnitude of the initial acceleration, which is always positive. So, taking the magnitude, we have:
|a| = 10 m/s2
Hence, the correct answer is option C) 10 m/s2.
Note: It is important to pay attention to the units and convert them to the same system (e.g., meters, kilograms, seconds) before performing calculations.