College Physics with MasteringPhysics 7th Edition by Jerry Wilson,Anthony Buffa,Bo Lou

Exercise 23

Two blocks on a level, frictionless table are in contact. The mass of the left block is 5.00 kg and the mass of the right block is 10.0 kg, and they accelerate to the left at 1.50 m/s 2. A person on the left exerts a force ( F 1 ) of 75.0 N to the right. Another person exerts an unknown force ( F 2 ) to the left. (a) Determine the force F 2. (b) Calculate the force of contact N between the two blocks (that is, the normal force at their vertical touching surfaces).