Ben has two carts with masses of 0.1 kg and 0.2 kg. He pushes the smaller cart toward the larger cart and they collide. The smaller cart rebounds back in the direction it came from. He measures the force on the smaller cart from the larger cart to be 5 N. What was the magnitude of the acceleration of the smaller cart?

The acceleration of the smaller cart is 50 m/s²

Explanation:

The given masses of the carts are 0.1 kg and 0.2 kg

The direction in which the small cart bounces = In the revers to its initial direction

The force exerted by the larger cart on the small cart = 5 N

Therefore, we have;

Force acting on smaller cart = Mass of smaller cart  × Acceleration of the smaller cart

∴ The acceleration of the smaller cart = Force acting on smaller cart/(Mass of smaller cart)

The acceleration of the smaller cart = 5 N/(0.1 kg) = 50 m/s²

The acceleration of the smaller cart = 50 m/s².