Acceleration of a Truck with a Broken Chain: Finding the Resultant Force

[Thegiver431]

Homework Statement

A 3000kg truck uses a chain to drag a 500kg log down a road at a constant speed of 10m/s. The friction between the ground and the log is 1000N. If the chain suddenly breaks, what is the acceleration of the truck?[/B]

Homework Equations

a=F/m[/B]

The Attempt at a Solution

I was plugging it in and i noticed that there it is not given for the force and i don't how to find the force to do the above equation. I really need help.[/B]

 

[Bystander]

friction between the ground and the log is 1000N. If the chain suddenly breaks

Step 1: read the problem statement. Step 2: if it appears there's something missing, reread the problem statement.

 

[Thegiver431]

Step 1: read the problem statement. Step 2: if it appears there's something missing, reread the problem statement.

Yes but In general I don't get it, it would be helpful if i can have some help :)

 

[Bystander]

There is a force of 1kN on the chain. What parts of the system is that force acting upon?

 

[Thegiver431]

hmmm.. ok

 

[haruspex]

hmmm.. ok

Before the chain broke, the truck and log was maintaining a steady speed. What does that tell you about what the engine is doing?

 

[Maged Saeed]

could we say that the net force is only the frictional force since the speed of the truck is constant ?

 

[haruspex]

could we say that the net force is only the frictional force since the speed of the truck is constant ?

No. If the velocity is constant then the net force is ... ?

 

[Chestermiller]

Have you drawn separate free body diagrams on the log and on the truck to understand the situation prior to the chain breaking. What forces were acting on the log at that time? What forces were acting on the truck at that time?

Chet

 

[Maged Saeed]

No. then the net force is ... ?

Oh,, the net force is zero , here .

 

[haruspex]

Oh,, the net force is zero , here .

Right. And that zero net force is the resultant of what horizontal forces?