Calculating Acceleration of a Ship with Tugboats | Constant Velocity Problem

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves calculating the acceleration of a tanker ship with a given mass and net force applied by tugboats, while the ship is moving with constant velocity. The subject area pertains to dynamics and Newton's laws of motion.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the application of the formula a=F/m and question the units of force and mass, noting potential discrepancies in the values used.

Discussion Status

Some participants have offered clarifications regarding the units of measurement and the formula used. There is recognition of a possible error in the original calculations, but no consensus has been reached on the correct interpretation of the problem.

Contextual Notes

There is mention of potential errors in the problem statement or transcription, specifically regarding the units of force and mass, which may affect the calculated acceleration.

PJ81
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Homework Statement



A tanker ship with a mass of 10000Kg is moving with constant velocity into a harbour. Two tugboats interact with the front of the boat with a net force of 10464KN, what acceleration does it undergo?


Homework Equations



a=F/m


The Attempt at a Solution



a=10464000/10000
=1046.4 ms? This sounds pretty wrong to me, I don't even know if this is the right formula to use
 
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welcome to the PF.

F=ma
a=F/m
what you missed i think are both quantities are in kilo versions
 
Whoops! thanks for that denverdoc.
 
denverdoc said:
welcome to the PF.

F=ma
a=F/m
what you missed i think are both quantities are in kilo versions

The Kilogram is the standard unit of measure for mass in the SI system. It looks right to me the only correction I think I have to make is that acceleration is measure in meters per second squared, m/s2.
 
youre right. I think it is a book error or transcriptional error, but figured the result was off by a factor of 1000.
 

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