Tandem Bike Acceleration Calculation Explained

What is the approximate acceleration of the riders on the bike?

Final answer:

The approximate acceleration of the riders on the bike is 0.33 m/s².

Explanation:

To find the approximate acceleration of the riders on the tandem bike, we can use Newton's second law of motion. The net force on the bike is the sum of the forces applied by Rider 1 and Rider 2, which is 30 N + 20 N = 50 N. The total mass of the system is 150.0 kg. Using the formula F = ma, we can rearrange it to solve for acceleration: a = F/m. Plugging in the values, we get a = 50 N / 150.0 kg = 0.33 m/s².