The Rocket Launch: Is F = ma Matter?

1. What does Newton's Second Law state

• Force equals mass times acceleration

• Force equals speed times velocity

• Mass equals force divided by velocity

• Acceleration equals force times mass

In the context of a rocket, if the mass of the rocket decreases as fuel burns, what happens to the acceleration if the force remains constant?

• Acceleration decreases 

• Acceleration remains the same

• Acceleration becomes zero

• Acceleration increases

If a rocket exerts a force of 5000 N and has a mass of 250 kg, what is its acceleration?

• 2 m/s² 

• 20 m/s²

• 25 m/s²  

• 10 m/s² 

Which of the following factors will increase the force needed to launch a rocket?

• Decreasing the rocket's mass

• Increasing the rocket's mass

• Decreasing the acceleration

• Decreasing the gravitational pull 

If a rocket’s engine produces a force of 8000 N and the rocket’s mass is 400 kg, what is the resulting acceleration?

• 12 m/s²

• 10 m/s² 

•  20 m/s²

• 25 m/s²

How would you calculate the force exerted by a rocket if you know the mass and acceleration?

•  Force = mass + acceleration

• Force = acceleration ÷ mass

• Force = mass × acceleration

• Force = mass ÷ acceleration

If the rocket’s mass is doubled, and the force remains the same, how does the acceleration change?

•  It stays the same

• It doubles

• It is halved

• It quadruples

What happens to a rocket’s acceleration if the applied force is tripled, but the mass remains constant?

•  The acceleration remains the same

• The acceleration triples

• The acceleration is halved 

• The acceleration is quartered

Which of the following will have the least effect on a rocket’s acceleration?

• Increasing the force applied

•  Decreasing the rocket’s mass

• Increasing the rocket’s mass

• Decreasing the force applied

A rocket travels upward with an acceleration of 5 m/s². If the force is 1000 N and the mass is constant, what would be the new acceleration if the force is increased to 2000 N?

• 20 m/s²

• 5 m/s² 

• 10 m/s² 

•  2.5 m/s²