2 (a) (i) Which of these is the correct equation that relates force, mass and acceleration? A F = m + a B F = m - a C F = m × a D F = m ÷ a (ii) A cyclist has a mass of 70 kg - Edexcel - GCSE Physics - Question 2 - 2020 - Paper 1

To calculate the force needed to accelerate the cyclist, we can use the formula:

$F = m \cdot a$

Given that the mass (m) of the cyclist is 70 kg and the acceleration (a) is 2.0 m/s², we can substitute these values into the formula:

$F = 70 ext{ kg} \cdot 2.0 ext{ m/s}^2 = 140 ext{ N}$

Thus, the force needed to accelerate the cyclist is 140 N.

To find the average speed of the cyclist, we use the formula:

$\text{average speed} = \frac{\text{distance}}{\text{time}}$

Here, the distance traveled is 1200 m and the time taken is 80 s. Plugging in these values, we get:

$\text{average speed} = \frac{1200 \text{ m}}{80 \text{ s}} = 15 \text{ m/s}$

Therefore, the average speed of the cyclist is 15 m/s.

1. The student could use a more accurate measuring device, such as a trundle wheel or tape measure, to measure the distance between the posts more precisely.
2. To minimize systematic errors such as parallax, the student could stand midway between the posts when timing the cyclist.