NEWTON’S LAWS OF MOTION

Newton’s First Law

Everybody remains in a state of rest or continues to move in a uniform motion, in a straight

line, unless acting on by an external force.

Inertia (Newton’s 1st Law can be used to explain “inertia”)

This is the laziness or tendency of matter to resist changes in its motion. Inertia makes difficult
for an object to start or stop moving, change direction or accelerate.

Example:

A passenger standing on a bus observes the effects of inertia, especially when the bus moves off
and stops suddenly.

Newton’s Second Law

When a force acts on a body, the rate of change on momentum is proportional to the applied
force, and takes place in the direction on the force.

force = mass × acceleration

F = ma

1N is defined as the force needed to give a mass of 1kg an acceleration of 1m/s²

Momentum (Newton’s 1st and 2nd Laws can be used to explain Momentum)

𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒖𝒎 = 𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒔 ×𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚

𝒑 = 𝒎 ×𝒗

(units of momentum = kgm/s)

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Note:

Momentum is a vector quantity.

When a force acts on a body, it causes the velocity to change, and hence the momentum changes.

We can determine the force applied by measuring the rate of change of momentum.

𝒎 ∆𝒗
𝑭=
𝒕
where: ∆v = change in velocity

= v – u (final velocity – initial velocity)

Therefore:

𝒎(𝒗 − 𝒖)
𝑭=
𝒕

Impulse

We can calculate the impulse, which is equal to change of momentum. It is determined by

multiplying the force by time.

𝑭𝒕 = 𝒎𝒗 – 𝒎𝒖

units = Ns

Newton’s Third Law

If body A exerts a force on body B, then body B exerts an equal but opposite force.

NB:

When an object is at rest on a flat level surface the forces acting are the weight (W) and the
reaction to its weight acting perpendicular (Normal Reaction).

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Terminal Velocity (Free Fall)

When a fallen object has gained a velocity, a friction force (FR) opposes its weight (W), the
resultant downward force (F) can be calculated by

𝑭 = 𝑾 – 𝑭𝑹

We can use this equation to calculate the acceleration of the object.

Since we know that

𝑭 = 𝒎𝒂

And

𝑭 = 𝑾 – 𝑭𝑹

We can therefore state

𝒎𝒂 = 𝑾 – 𝑭 𝑹

Hence

𝑾 – 𝑭𝑹
𝒂 =
𝒎

As the velocity of an object increases so does the magnitude of the frictional force, this continues
until the friction force reaches the same value as the weight. Since it acts in an opposite direction
to the frictional force, the resultant force is zero,

𝑾 = 𝑭𝑹

𝑾 – 𝑭𝑹 = 𝟎

∴ 𝑭𝑹 = 𝟎

At this point the acceleration is also zero so the object is falling at a constant speed. This
constant speed is called terminal velocity, and it is the maximum speed for particular objects,
free falling through liquids.

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Example: A marble falling through a viscous fluid.

Stage A: When the marble is first released from rest, there’s no frictional force (FR = 0).

Therefore F = W

Stage B: Velocity increases as the marble falls hence frictional force increases, but is less

than the weight (FR < W). The F which acts downwards is now W – FR

(F = W – FR)

FR

Stage C: Terminal velocity is reached when the frictional force is equal to the weight of

the marble (W = FR). Therefore the resultant force is equal to zero, no

acceleration (F = 0).

FR

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Example 1

A woman of 70kg jumps out of an aeroplane, and before she could open her parachute she was
falling at an acceleration of 7m/s². Calculate the frictional drag, if g = 10N/kg.

Example 2

A body of mass 7 kg rests on the floor of a lift. Calculate the force of R exerted on the body by
the floor when the lift has:

a. An upward acceleration 2 m/s2

b. A downwards acceleration of 3 m/s2
c. A constant movement of velocity

Example 3

A 600N Physics student stands on a bath scale in an elevator. What is the scale reading if the
elevator ha an acceleration of:

a. 1.8 m/s2 upwards

b. 1.8 m/s2 downwards
c. 10 m/s2 downwards

Example 4

A block of mass 2kg rests on the floor of a lift which has an acceleration of 5m/s2 upwards. Find
the reaction between the block and the lift.

Example 5

A box of 60kg is pulled by a 400N force acting at an angle of 300 to the horizontal. The friction
between the surface and the box is 200N. Calculate:

a. the acceleration of the box

b. the normal reaction acting on the box

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Inclined Plane
R

Ѳ
Fx

Ѳ W Fy

Parallel to Plane: 𝑭𝒙 = 𝑾 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽

Perpendicular to Plane: 𝑭𝒚 = 𝑾 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜽

Consider an object on an incline plane, its weight acts vertically downwards. There is a normal
reaction to the weight and its value is R. Assuming that the object is motionless on the slope, the
fore that keeps it in contact with the surface is WcosѲ and the force that will cause it to move
down the slope is WsinѲ.

Example 1

An object slides down a slope which makes an angle of 300 to the horizontal. If the mass of the
object is 1kg, calculate:

a. the acceleration of the object down the slop assuming the slope is frictionless
b. the normal reaction between the slope and the object

Example 2

A body of mass 5 kg is pulled up a smooth plane inclined at 300 to the horizontal by a force of
40N acting parallel t the plane. Calculate:

a. the acceleration of the body

b. the force exerted on the body on the plane

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Example 3

A body of mass 10 kg is pulled up a smooth plane inclined at 600 to the horizontal by a force of
100 N acting parallel t the plane. Calculate:

a. the acceleration of the body

b. the force exerted on the body on the ground

Example 4

A car of mass 900 kg accelerates up an inclined plane of angle 150 at a speed of 15m/s. If the car
experiences a constant resistance to its motion of 150 N, calculate the driving force of the engine
in the car.

Example 5

A bag of cement of mass 50 kg is placed on a ramp and allowed to slide down it. Given that the
ramp is at 300 to the horizontal, calculate:

a. the component which acts down the slide

b. the component which acts on the surface of the ramp
c. the frictional force, if the acceleration of the bag down the slope is 2m/s2

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MOTION

Definitions

 Displacement is the distance moved in a particular direction

 Velocity is the rate of change of displacement
 Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity
 Speed is the rate of change of distance

Distance –Time Graphs

𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 = 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛

𝛥𝑑
𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 =
𝛥𝑡
= 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦

Velocity – Time Graphs

𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦
𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 = 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛

𝛥𝑣
𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 =
𝛥𝑡
= 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝑣−𝑢
𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 =
𝑡

Area under the curve is the distance travelled

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Equations for Motion

Motion for uniform acceleration

𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦

𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 =
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
𝑣−𝑢
𝑎 =
𝑡
at = v − u

∴ 𝐯 = 𝐮 + 𝐚𝐭 … 𝐞𝐪 (𝐢)

𝑣+𝑢
𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 =
2
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡(𝑠) = 𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 × 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
𝒗+𝒖
𝒔 =( )𝒕 … 𝒆𝒒 (𝒊𝒊)
𝟐
From equation 1 we get that
𝑣−𝑢
𝑡 =
𝑎

When we substitute into equation 2, we get that

𝑣+𝑢 𝑣−𝑢
𝑠 =( )( )
2 𝑎
(𝑣 + 𝑢)(𝑣 − 𝑢)
𝑠=
2𝑎
𝑣 2 − 𝑢2
𝑠=
2𝑎

∴ 𝐯 𝟐 = 𝐮𝟐 + 𝟐𝐚𝐬 … 𝐞𝐪 (𝐢𝐢𝐢)

Using equation 1 and equation 2, we get that:

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 𝑣+𝑢
𝑠 =( )𝑡 … 𝑒𝑞 (𝑖𝑖)
2

𝑢𝑡 + 𝑣𝑡
𝑠 =
2

But we know that 𝑣 = 𝑢 + 𝑎𝑡 … 𝑒𝑞 (𝑖)

Hence we can say that

𝑢𝑡 + (𝑢 + 𝑎𝑡)𝑡
𝑠 =
2
𝑢𝑡 + 𝑢𝑡 + 𝑎𝑡 2
𝑠 =
2
2𝑢𝑡 + 𝑎𝑡 2
𝑠 =
2

∴ 𝒔 = 𝒖𝒕 + ½ 𝒂𝒕𝟐 … 𝒆𝒒 (𝒊𝒗)

Example 1

An object travelling at a speed at 10 m/s accelerated for 8 seconds to reach a speed of 50 m/s.
Calculate:

a. the acceleration of the object assuming it to be uniformed

b. the distance travelled by the object after 8 seconds

Example 2

A car travelling at 20 m/s decelerates to a speed of 2 m/s for 8 seconds. Calculate:

a. the acceleration of the car after 8 seconds

b. the distance the car travels after 8 seconds
c. the total distance the car travels when it comes to rest

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Example 3

A car travelling at 10 m/s accelerates uniformly at 1 m/s2 to reach a speed of 15 m/s. Calculate:

a. the time it takes to reach 15 m/s

b. the distance the car travelled during that time
c. the velocity reached at 100 m from the point where the acceleration began

Example 4

An object is thrown vertically upwards with an initial speed of 35 m/s. taking g as 10 m/s2,
calculate:

a. the maximum height reached

b. the time taken to reach the maximum height
c. the time taken for the displacement to be 40 m
d. velocity of the object after 5 seconds

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