To determine the acceleration of the wooden block when it hits the sensor, we can use Newton's second law of motion, which is represented by the formula:
[tex]\[ F = m \cdot a \][/tex]
where:
- \( F \) is the force applied,
- \( m \) is the mass of the object,
- \( a \) is the acceleration of the object.
Denise has provided the following values:
- Mass (\( m \)) of the wooden block is \( 0.5 \) kilograms.
- Force (\( F \)) measured by the sensor is \( 4.9 \) newtons.
We need to solve for the acceleration \( a \). To isolate \( a \) in the formula, we rearrange it as follows:
[tex]\[ a = \frac{F}{m} \][/tex]
Substitute the given values into the equation:
[tex]\[ a = \frac{4.9 \, \text{N}}{0.5 \, \text{kg}} \][/tex]
Now we can calculate the acceleration:
[tex]\[ a = 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 \][/tex]
Thus, the acceleration of the wooden block when it hits the sensor is \( 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 \).
The correct answer is:
D. [tex]\( 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 \)[/tex]
