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Laws of Motion
Classical Mechanics
Describes the relationship between the
motion of objects in our everyday world
and the forces acting on them
Conditions when Classical Mechanics does
not apply (Quantum Mechanics & Relativity
do apply)
very tiny objects (< atomic sizes)
slow down
Vector quantity
On its own an object would not speed up,
slow down or change direction. It needs
interaction with something outside of itself.
Force Types
May be a contact force or a field force
Contact forces result from “physical
contact” between two objects.
Ex. Driving: There is physical contact
Force of electricity
Contact
force Force of magnetism
Fundamental Forces
Types
Strong nuclear force
keeps protons near one another
Electromagnetic force
Combines the electric & magnetic forces
Weak nuclear force
Contributes to the stability of the nucleus
Gravity
Fundamental Forces
Characteristics
All fundamental forces are field forces
Contact forces are actually comprised of the
fundamental forces, therefore they are really
field forces. This occurs on a microscopic level.
Listed in order of decreasing strength
Only gravity and electromagnetic in mechanics
Newton’s First Law
An object moves with a velocity that is
constant in magnitude and direction,
unless acted on by a nonzero net force
An object in motion remains in uniform
motion or an object at rest remains at rest
unless acted upon by a net external force.
The net force is defined as the vector
perpendicular to the
surface
n 'is the reaction – the
TV on the table
n n '
More Action-Reaction pairs
Fg and Fg'
F is the force the
g
Earth exerts on
the object
'
F
g is the force the
object exerts on
the earth
Fg Fg'
Forces Acting on an Object
Newton’s Law
uses the forces
acting on an
object
n and Fg are
acting on the
object
'
n ' and Fgare
acting on other
objects
Applications of Newton’s
Laws
Assumptions
Objects behave as particles
can ignore rotational motion (for now)
Masses of strings or ropes are
negligible
Interested only in the forces acting
on the object
can neglect reaction forces
Free Body Diagram
Must identify all the forces acting
on the object of interest
Choose an appropriate coordinate
system
If the free body diagram is
incorrect, the solution will likely be
incorrect
Free Body Diagram,
Example
The force is the
tension acting on the
box
The tension is the same
at all points along the
rope
n and Fg are the
forces exerted by the
earth and the ground
Free Body Diagram, final
Only forces acting directly on the
object are included in the free
body diagram
Reaction forces act on other objects
and so are not included
The reaction forces do not directly
influence the object’s motion
The base of the arrow touches the
object being acted upon.
Solving Newton’s Second
Law Problems
Read the problem at least once
Draw a picture of the system
Identify the object of primary interest
Indicate forces with arrows
Label each force
Use labels that bring to mind the
physical quantity involved
Solving Newton’s Second
Law Problems
Draw a free body diagram
If additional objects are involved, draw
separate free body diagrams for each object
Choose a convenient coordinate system for
each object
Apply Newton’s Second Law
The x- and y-components should be taken
from the vector equation and written
separately
Solve for the unknown(s)
Equilibrium
An object either at rest or moving
with a constant velocity is said to
be in equilibrium.
The net force acting on the object
is zero (since the acceleration is
zero)
F 0
Equilibrium cont.
Easier to work with the equation in
terms of its components:
Fx 0 an d Fy 0
N For example, if a
flower pot is setting
on an incline, N is
not vertical; it’s at a
right angle to the
incline. Also, in this
case, mg > N.
mg
Normal force directions
Up
You’re standing on level ground.
You’re at the bottom of a circle while flying
a loop-the-loop in a plane.
Sideways
A ladder leans up against a wall.
You’re against the wall on the “Round Up”
ride when the floor drops out.
At an angle
A race car takes a turn on a banked track.
Down
You’re in a roller coaster at the top of a
loop.
Cases in which N mg
1. Mass on incline
2. Applied force acting on the mass
3. Nonzero acceleration, as in an elevator or
launching space shuttle
N FA N
N a
mg
mg mg
When does N = mg ?
If the following conditions are satisfied,
then N = mg:
The object is on a level surface.
There’s nothing pushing it down or
pulling it up.
The object is not accelerating vertically.
Apparent Weight & Scales
you’re in an elevator.
mg
Rocket: Blasting Off
During blast off your
acceleration is up, so the
net force must be up (no
a matter which way v is).
U
v
S Fnet = m a
A N
N - mg = m a
N = m (a + g) > mg
Apparent weight > Actual weight
mg
velocity
If v = constant, then a = 0.
If a = 0, then Fnet = 0 too.
U a=0 If Fnet = 0, then N must be
equal in magnitude to mg.
S v
A This means that the scale
N reads your normal weight
(same as if you were at rest)
regardless of how fast you’re
m going, so long as you’re not
accelerating.
mg
Rocket: Engines on low
As soon as you cut way back on the
engines, the Earth pulls harder on
you than the scale pushes up. So
you’re acceleration is down, but you’ll U a
still head upward for a while. S v
Choosing down as the positive
direction, A
Fnet = m a N
mg - N = m a m
N = m (g - a) < mg mg
Apparent weight < Actual
weight
Example) A 65-kg woman ascends in
an elevator that briefly accelerates at 1.0
m/s2 upward when leaving a floor. She
stands on a scale that reads in N.
F ma
FN m g m a
FN m a m g m ( a g ) FN
f s (max) sn
s depends on materials
s is the coefficient of static
friction
Kinetic Friction
f k k n
k depends on materials
Problem:
How much force must a person apply to the box
on the ground such that the box moves with
v = 3 m/s?
1st - Solve for the force required for the box to move
from rest.
2nd - Solve for the force required for the box to
continue in motion.
Block on a Ramp, Example
Axes are rotated as
usual on an incline
The direction of
impending motion
would be down the
plane
Friction acts up the
plane
Opposes the motion
Apply Newton’s Laws
and solve equations
y
FN
F fr
x
Inclined Planes mg
•An inclined plane exerts a normal force FN which is
perpendicular to the surface.
•There may also be a frictional force which opposes the motion.
•It should also be noted that the angle between the weight and the
normal is the same as the angle of the incline .
y
Example 4-5 A block of wood
FN
accelerates down a wooden board. F fr
x
mg
F 0
F
y
ma
F mg cos 0
N
x
mg sin F fr ma
FN mg cos
mg sin m g cos ma
F fr FN mg cos
y
Example 4-5 A block of wood rests on
FN
a wooden board. One end of the board F fr
mg sin m g cos ma
At the point where it starts to slip a ≈ 0 and = s.
g sin s g cos 0
sin
tan
cos
s
FT 1 FT 2
m1 g
m2 g
F m a
F ma
y 2
F m g ma y 1
m g F ma
T 2 2
F mgma
1 T 1
T 2 2
m g m g m a ma
1 2 2 1
m m
a g
1 2
m m 1 2
Example 4-3 Two masses hang from a massless, frictionless pulley as shown.
Draw free-body diagram for each of the masses. Calculate the acceleration of the
masses and the tension. Assume m1 =0.250 kg and m2 = 0.200 kg.
FT FT
m2 g
m2 m1
m1 g
m m
a g
1 2
m m
1 2
0.250 kg 0.200 kg m
a 9.8 2 1.09 m 2
0.250kg 0.200 kg s s
F m g m a m2 ( g a )
T 2 2
Fs s FN
Example
4-4 From the data in the graph, determine µk and µk.
FN mg 28 kg 9.80 m s 270 N
FN
FT Ffr
Fk k FN 30 N
mg
Fk 30 N
k 0.11
FN 270 N
Fs s FN
Just before the box starts to move
Fs s FN 39 N
Fk
k
39 N
0.14
FN 270 N
Example 4- 6 One 2.80 kg paint bucket (m1) is hanging by a massless cord
from a 3.50 kg paint bucket (m2), also hanging by a massless cord. If the two
buckets are pulled upward with an acceleration of 0.700 m/s2 by the upper cord,
calculate the tension in each cord.
F ma 1
F m g ma
T1 1 1
F m ( g a)
FT 2 T1 1
FT 2 (3.50kg)(9.8 m 2 0.70 m 2 ) 29 N
m1 g s s
FT 2 66 N
Comments on Example 4-12 in Book
Treat as a single mass:
F m m a
x A B
FP mA mB a
FP 40.0 N
a 1.82 m
(m A mB ) (10.0 kg 12.0 kg) s