Understanding the Concepts
* Newton's Second Law: This law states that the net force acting on an object is equal to its mass times its acceleration (F = ma).
* Thrust: The force produced by the rocket engine that propels the rocket upward.
Solving the Problem
1. Identify the knowns:
* Thrust (F) = 12000 N
* Acceleration (a) = 6.4 m/s²
2. Identify the unknown:
* Mass (m)
3. Apply Newton's Second Law:
* F = ma
* 12000 N = m * 6.4 m/s²
4. Solve for mass (m):
* m = 12000 N / 6.4 m/s²
* m ≈ 1875 kg
Answer: The mass of the rocket is approximately 1875 kg.