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Lecture Notes 4 Newtons LAWS OF Motion 2020

Engineering- (Electrical) (Cagayan State University)

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Lecture Notes in NEWTON’S LAWS OF MOTION 1

Topics:
I. Force and Interactions
II. Newton’s First Law
III. Newton’s Second Law
IV. Mass and Weight
V. Newton’s Third Law
VI. Free-Body Diagrams
VII. Applications

Intended Learning Outcome

1. Discuss and explain the concept of force and force vectors.
2. Explain significance of the net force on an object, as well as when the net force is zero.
3. Evaluate the relationship among the net force on an object, the object’s mass, and its
acceleration.
4. Relate the forces that two bodies exert on each.
5. Use free-body diagram to solve force systems.

I. FORCE AND INTERACTIONS

The Meaning of Force

A force is a push or pull upon an object resulting from the object's interaction with another object.
Whenever there is an interaction between two objects, there is a force upon each of the objects. When
the interaction ceases, the two objects no longer experience the force. Forces only exist as a result of an
interaction.

For simplicity sake, all forces (interactions) between objects can be placed into two broad categories:
 contact forces, and
 forces resulting from action-at-a-distance

Contact forces are those types of forces which result when the two interacting objects are perceived to
be physically contacting each other.

Examples of contact forces include:

frictional forces
 exerted on an object by a surface acts parallel to the surface, in the direction that
opposes sliding
 often opposes the motion of an object
 results from the two surfaces being pressed together closely, causing intermolecular
attractive forces between molecules of different surfaces

tensional forces
 force which is transmitted through a string, rope, cable or wire when it is pulled tight by
forces acting from opposite ends.
 directed along the length of the wire and pulls equally on the objects on the opposite
ends of the wire

normal forces
 the support force exerted upon an object which is in contact with another stable object

air resistance forces

 a special type of frictional force which acts upon objects as they travel through the air
 often opposes the motion of an object
 frequently be neglected due to its negligible magnitude (and due to the fact that it is
mathematically difficult to predict its value)

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 most noticeable for objects which travel at high speeds (e.g., a skydiver or a downhill
skier) or for objects with large surface areas

applied forces.
 force which is applied to an object by a person or another object

Action-at-a-distance forces are those types of forces which result even when the two interacting
objects are not in physical contact with each other, yet are able to exert a push or pull despite their
physical separation.

Examples of action-at-a-distance forces include:

gravitational forces
 For example, the sun and planets exert a gravitational pull on each other despite their
large spatial separation. Even when your feet leave the earth and you are no longer in
physical contact with the earth, there is a gravitational pull between you and the Earth.

Electric forces
 For example, the protons in the nucleus of an atom and the electrons outside the
nucleus experience an electrical pull towards each other despite their small spatial
separation.

Magnetic forces
 For example, two magnets can exert a magnetic pull on each other even when separated
by a distance of a few centimeters.

To describe a force vector F, we need to describe the direction in which it acts as well as its magnitude,
the quantity that describes “how much” or “how hard” the force pushes or pulls.

Force is a quantity which is measured using the standard metric unit known as the Newton, abbreviated
“N”.

Superposition of Forces
 any number of forces applied at a point on a body have the same effect as a single force equal to
the vector sum of the forces
y y

F Fy

O Fx
O x x

Any force can be replaced by its component vectors, acting at the same point.

The net force is the vector sum of all the forces which act upon an object. Usually represented by F.
Thus, If the forces are labeled F1, F2, F3, and so on,

R F1  F2  F3   F
(1)

The component version of Eq. (1) is the pair of component equations

Rx  Fx Ry  Fy Rz  Fz
(2)

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The magnitude of the net force F = R acting on the body is given by

R  Rx2  Ry2  Ry2
(magnitude) (3)

The direction of R in two-dimension is the angle  between R and the +x-axis using the relations

Ry
tan  
Rx (4)

In three dimensions, the direction of R is described by its direction angles with the positive x-, y- and
z-axis.

II. NEWTON’S FIRST LAW

The Newton's first law of motion - sometimes referred to as the law of inertia - is often stated as
 An object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the
same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

There are two parts to this statement - one which predicts the behavior of stationary objects and the
other which predicts the behavior of moving objects.

Forces are Balanced

Objects at Rest Objects in Motion

(v = 0 m/s) (v 0 m/s)

a = 0 m/s2 a = 0 m/s2

Stay at Rest Stay in Motion

(same speed and direction)

The behavior of all objects can be described by saying that objects tend to "keep on doing what they're
doing" (unless acted upon by an unbalanced force).
 If at rest, they will continue in this same state of rest.
 If in motion with an eastward velocity of 5 m/s, they will continue in this same state of motion
(5 m/s, East). If in motion with a leftward velocity of 2 m/s, they will continue in this same state
of motion (2 m/s, left).
 The state of motion of an object is maintained as long as the object is not acted upon by an
unbalanced force. All objects resist changes in their state of motion – they tend to “keep on
doing what they’re doing.”

Suppose that you filled a baking dish to the rim with water and walked around an oval track making an
attempt to complete a lap in the least amount of time. The water would have a tendency to spill from
the container during specific locations on the track. In general, the water spilled when:
 the container was at rest and you attempted to move it
 the container was in motion and you attempted to stop it
 the container was moving in one direction and you attempted to change its direction.

The water spills whenever the state of motion of the container is changed. The water resisted this
change in its own state of motion. The water tended to "keep on doing what it was doing." The

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container was moved from rest to a high speed at the starting line; the water remained at rest and
spilled onto the table. The container was stopped near the finish line; the water kept moving and
spilled over container's leading edge. The container was forced to move in a different direction to make
it around a curve; the water kept moving in the same direction and spilled over its edge. The behavior
of the water during the lap around the track can be explained by Newton's first law of motion.

Inertia and Mass

Newton's first law describes the natural tendency of objects to resist changes in their state of motion.
This tendency to resist changes in the state of motion is called inertia.

All objects resist changes in their state of motion. All objects have this tendency - they have inertia. But
do some objects have more of a tendency to resist changes than others? Absolutely yes! The tendency of
an object to resist changes in its state of motion varies with mass.

Mass is an intrinsic property of an object that measures its resistance to acceleration. That is, it is a
measure of the object’s inertia.
 The more inertia which an object has, the more mass it has.
 A more massive object has a greater tendency to resist changes in its state of motion.

Examples:
1. Imagine a place in the cosmos far from all gravitational and frictional influences. Suppose that you
visit that place (just suppose) and throw a rock. The rock
a. gradually stops
b. continues in motion in the same direction at constant speed
 According to Newton's first law, the rock will continue in motion in the same direction at
constant speed.

2. A 2-kg object is moving horizontally with a speed of 4 m/s. How much net force is required to keep
the object moving at this speed and in this direction?
Answer: 0 N
 An object in motion will maintain its state of motion. The presence of an unbalanced force
changes the velocity of the object.

3. Mac and Tosh are arguing in the cafeteria. Mac says that if he flings the Jell-O with a greater speed
it will have a greater inertia. Tosh argues that inertia does not depend upon speed, but rather upon
mass. Who do you agree with? Explain why.
 Tosh is correct. Inertia is that quantity which depends solely upon mass. The more mass, the
more inertia. Momentum is another quantity in Physics which depends on both mass and
speed. Momentum will be discussed in a later unit.

4. Supposing you were in space in a weightless environment, would it require a force to set an object in
motion?
 Absolutely yes!
Even in space objects have mass. And if they have mass, they have inertia. That is, an object in
space resists changes in its state of motion. A force must be applied to set a stationary object in
motion. Newton's laws rule - everywhere!

5. Fred spends most Sunday afternoons at rest on the sofa, watching pro football games and
consuming large quantities of food. What effect (if any) does this practice have upon his inertia?
Explain.
 Fred's inertia will increase!
Fred will increase his mass if he makes a habit of this. And if his mass increases, then his inertia
increases.

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6. Ben Tooclose is being chased through the woods by a bull moose which he was attempting to
photograph. The enormous mass of the bull moose is extremely intimidating. Yet, if Ben makes a
zigzag pattern through the woods, he will be able to use the large mass of the moose to his own
advantage. Explain this in terms of inertia and Newton's first law of motion.
 The large mass of the bull moose means that the bull moose has a large inertia. Thus, Ben can
more easily change his own state of motion (make quick changes in direction) while the moose
has extreme difficulty changing its state of motion.

7. Two bricks are resting on edge of the lab table. Shirley Sheshort stands on her toes and spots the
two bricks. She acquires an intense desire to know which of the two bricks are most massive. Since
Shirley is vertically challenged, she is unable to reach high enough and lift the bricks; she can
however reach high enough to give the bricks a push. Discuss how the process of pushing the bricks
will allow Shirley to determine which of the two bricks is most massive. What difference will Shirley
observe and how can this observation lead to the necessary conclusion?
 The bricks, like any object, possess inertia. That is, the bricks will resist changes in their state of
motion. If Shirley gives them a push, then the bricks will offer resistance to this push. The one
with the most mass will be the one with the most inertia. This will be the brick which offers the
most resistance. This very method of detecting the mass of an object can be used on Earth as
well as in locations where gravitational forces are negligible for bricks.

State of Motion
The state of motion of an object is defined by its velocity - the speed with a direction. Thus, inertia
could be redefined as follows:

Inertia: tendency of an object to resist changes in its velocity

An object at rest has zero velocity - and (in the absence of an unbalanced force) will remain with a zero
velocity. Such an object will not change its state of motion (i.e., velocity) unless acted upon by an
unbalanced force. An object in motion with a velocity of 2 m/s, East will (in the absence of an
unbalanced force) remain in motion with a velocity of 2 m/s, East. Such an object will not change its
state of motion (i.e., velocity) unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. Objects resist changes in their
velocity.

As learned in an earlier unit, an object which is not changing its velocity is said to have an acceleration
of 0 m/s/s. Thus, we could provide an alternative means of defining inertia:

Inertia: tendency of an object to resist accelerations

Balanced and Unbalanced Forces

If the body is at rest at the start, it remains at rest; if it is initially moving, it continues to move in the
same direction with constant speed.

These results show that in Newton’s first law, zero net force is equivalent to no force at all. This is just
the principle of superposition of forces.

When a body is either at rest or moving with constant velocity (in a straight line with constant speed),
we say that the body is in equilibrium. For a body to be in equilibrium, it must be acted on by no
forces, or by several forces such that their vector sum – that is, the net force – is zero:

 F 0 (body in equilibrium) (5)

For this to be true, each component of the net force must be zero, so

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F x 0 F y 0
(6)

Examples:
1. Luke Autbeloe drops an approximately 5.0 kg fat cat (weight = 50.0 N) off the roof of his house into
the swimming pool below. Upon encountering the pool, the cat encounters a 50.0 N upward
resistance force (assumed to be constant).

Several of Luke's friends were watching the motion of the falling cat. Being "physics types", they
began discussing the motion and made the following comments. Indicate whether each of the
comments are correct or incorrect? Support your answers.
a. Once the cat hits the water, the forces are balanced and the cat will stop.
False.
o Once the cat hits the water, the forces are balanced (50 N down and 50 N up). However,
an object in motion (such as the cat) will continue in motion at the same speed and in
the same direction. When the cat strikes the water, it stops accelerating; yet it does not
stop moving.

b. Upon hitting the water, the cat will accelerate upwards because the water applies an upward
force.
False.
o Once the cat hit the water, the forces are balanced (50 N down and 50 N up). The
upward force of the water on the cat is balanced by the downward pull of gravity. The
cat will continue in motion at constant speed.

c. Upon hitting the water, the cat will bounce upwards due to the upwards force.
False.
o Once the cat hits the water, the forces are balanced (50 N down and 50 N up). The cat
would only bounce upwards if the water applied an upward force greater than 50 N. As
stated in the problem, the water applies only 50 N of upward force. Furthermore, the
upward force would first contribute to slowing the cat down (an upward acceleration)
before it could begin to actually move it upward.

2. If the forces acting upon an object are balanced, then the object
a. must not be moving.
b. must be moving with a constant velocity.
c. must not be accelerating.
d. none of these
o The answer could be A (but does not have to be A) and it could be B (but does not have to
be B). An object having balanced forces definitely cannot be accelerating. This means that it
could be at rest and staying at rest (one option) or could be in motion at constant velocity (a
second option). Either way, it definitely is not accelerating - choice C of your four choices.

Classroom Exercises 1
1. A gymnast hangs from the lower end of a rope connected to an O-ring that is bolted to the ceiling.
The weights of the gymnast, the rope, and the O-ring are 500 N, 100 N, and 50 N, respectively.
What are the magnitudes of the tensions at both ends of the rope?

2. As shown in Figure, a car engine with weight w hangs from a chain that is linked at point O to two
other chains, one fastened to the ceiling and the other to the wall. Find the tension in each of the
three chains, assuming that w is given and the weights of the chains themselves are negligible.

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3. A car with a weight of 1.76  104 N rests on the ramp of a trailer (see Figure). The car’s brakes and
transmission lock are released; only the cable prevents the car from rolling backward off the trailer.
The ramp makes an angle of 26.0° with the horizontal. Find the tension in the cable and the force
with which the ramp pushes on the car’s tires.

4. Blocks of granite, each with weight w1, are being hauled up a 15° slope out of a quarry (see Figure).
For environmental reasons, dirt is also being dumped into the quarry to fill up old holes. You have
been asked to find a way to use this dirt to move the granite out more easily. You design a system
that lets the dirt (weight w2, including the weight of the bucket) that drops vertically into the
quarry pull out a granite block on a cart with steel wheels (total weight w1), rolling on steel rails.
Ignoring the weight of the cable and friction in the pulley and wheels, determine how the weights
w1 and w2 must be related for the system to move with constant speed.

III. NEWTON’S SECOND LAW

Newton's first law of motion predicts the behavior of objects for which all existing forces are balanced.
The first law - sometimes referred to as the law of inertia - states that if the forces acting upon an object
are balanced, then the acceleration of that object will be 0 m/s/s. Objects at equilibrium (the
condition in which all forces balance) will not accelerate. According to Newton, an object will only
accelerate if there is a net or unbalanced force acting upon it. The presence of an unbalanced force will
accelerate an object - changing either its speed, its direction, or both its speed and direction.

Newton's second law of motion pertains to the behavior of objects for which all existing forces are not
balanced. The second law states that the acceleration of an object is dependent upon two variables - the
net force acting upon the object and the mass of the object. The acceleration of an object depends
directly upon the net force acting upon the object, and inversely upon the mass of the object. As the

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force acting upon an object is increased, the acceleration of the object is increased. As the mass of an
object is increased, the acceleration of the object is decreased.

Forces are Unbalanced

There is acceleration

The acceleration The acceleration

depends directly depends inversely
upon the upon the
“net force” object’s mass

Newton's second law of motion can be formally stated as follows:

o The acceleration of an object as produced by a net force is directly proportional to the
magnitude of the net force, in the same direction as the net force, and inversely proportional
to the mass of the object.

Fnet
a
This verbal statement can be expressed in equation form as follows: m

The above equation is often rearranged to a more familiar form as shown below. The net force is
equated to the product of the mass times the acceleration.

Fnet = m  a (7)

The acceleration is directly proportional to the net force; the net force equals mass times acceleration;
the acceleration in the same direction as the net force; an acceleration is produced by a net force.

The net force:

It is the net force which is related to acceleration. As discussed earlier, the net force is the vector sum of
all the forces. If all the individual forces acting upon an object are known, then the net force can be
determined.

Consistent with the above equation, a unit of force is equal to a unit of mass times a unit of
acceleration. By substituting standard metric units for force, mass, and acceleration into the above
equation, the following unit equivalency can be written.
m
1 Newton = 1 kg  2
s
 One newton is the amount of net force that gives an acceleration of 1 meter per second squared
to a body with a mass of 1 kilogram.

The definition of the standard metric unit of force is stated by the above equation. One Newton is
defined as the amount of force required to give a 1-kg mass an acceleration of 1 m/s/s.

The Fnet = m • a equation is often used in algebraic problem-solving. The table below can be filled by
substituting into the equation and solving for the unknown quantity.

Net Force (N) Mass (kg) Acceleration (m/s/s)

1. 10 2 Answer: a = 5 m/s/s
a = Fnet / m

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a = (10 N) / (2 kg)
a = 5 m/s/s
Answer: a = 10 m/s/s
a = Fnet / m
2. 20 2
a = (20 N) / (2 kg)
a = 10 m/s/s
Answer: a = 5 m/s/s
a = Fnet / m
3. 20 4
a = (20 N) / (4 kg)
a = 5 m/s/s
Answer: Fnet = 10 N
Fnet = m • a
4. Fnet = (2 kg) • (5 m/s/s) 2 5
Fnet = 10 N

Answer: m = 1 kg
m = Fnet / a
5. 10 10
m = (10 N) / (10 m/s/s)
m = 1 kg

The numerical information in the table above demonstrates some important qualitative relationships
between force, mass, and acceleration.
 Comparing the values in rows 1 and 2, it can be seen that a doubling of the net force results in a
doubling of the acceleration (if mass is held constant).
 Similarly, comparing the values in rows 2 and 4 demonstrates that a halving of the net force
results in a halving of the acceleration (if mass is held constant). Acceleration is directly
proportional to net force.

Furthermore, the qualitative relationship between mass and acceleration can be seen by a comparison
of the numerical values in the above table. Observe from rows 2 and 3 that a doubling of the mass
results in a halving of the acceleration (if force is held constant). And similarly, rows 4 and 5 show that
a halving of the mass results in a doubling of the acceleration (if force is held constant). Acceleration is
inversely proportional to mass.

Thus, if a force F produces acceleration a1 when applied to an object of mass m1, and the same force
produces acceleration a2 when applied to an object of mass m 2, then the ratio of the masses is defined
by

m1 a2

m2 a1 (8)

The analysis of the table data illustrates that an equation such as Fnet = ma can be a guide to thinking
about how a variation in one quantity might affect another quantity. Whatever alteration is made of the
net force, the same change will occur with the acceleration. Double, triple or quadruple the net force,
and the acceleration will do the same. On the other hand, whatever alteration is made of the mass, the
opposite or inverse change will occur with the acceleration. Double, triple or quadruple the mass, and
the acceleration will be one-half, one-third or one-fourth its original value.

Sample Problems:
1. Determine the accelerations which result when a 12-N net force is applied to a 3-kg object and then
to a 6-kg object.

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A 3-kg object experiences an acceleration of 4 m/s/s. A 6-kg object experiences an acceleration

of 2 m/s/s.

2. A net force of 15 N is exerted on an encyclopedia to cause it to accelerate at a rate of 5 m/s 2.

Determine the mass of the encyclopedia.

Use Fnet= ma with Fnet = 15 N and a = 5 m/s/s.

So (15 N) = (m)(5 m/s/s)

And m = 3.0 kg

3. Suppose that a sled is accelerating at a rate of 2 m/s 2. If the net force is tripled and the mass is
doubled, then what is the new acceleration of the sled?

Answer: 3 m/s/s
The original value of 2 m/s/s must be multiplied by 3 (since a and F are directly proportional)
and divided by 2 (since a and m are inversely proportional)

4. Suppose that a sled is accelerating at a rate of 2 m/s 2. If the net force is tripled and the mass is
halved, then what is the new acceleration of the sled?

Answer: 12 m/s/s
The original value of 2 m/s/s must be multiplied by 3 (since a and F are directly proportional)
and divided by 1/2 (since a and m are inversely proportional)

5. A 4500-kg helicopter accelerates upward at 2.0 m/s 2. What lift force is exerted by the air on the
propellers?

Answer:
ma = Fnet = Fappl + Fg = Fappl + mg  Fappl = ma – mg = m(a – g)

So, Fappl = (4500 kg)[(2.0 m/s2) – (–9.80 m/s2)]

Fappl = 5.3  104 N

6. A 65-kg boy and a 45-kg girl use an elastic rope while engaged in a tug-of-war on an icy, frictionless
surface. If the acceleration of the girl toward the boy is 3.0 m/s2, find the magnitude of the
acceleration of the boy toward the girl.

Answer:
F1,2 = –F2,1  m1a1 = –m2a2

a1 
  m2 a2 


  45 kg  3.0 m/s 2   2.0 m/s 2

m1 65 kg

Magnitude of the acceleration: 2.0 m/s2

7. As a baseball is being caught, its speed goes from 30.0 m/s to 0.0 m/s in about 0.0050 s. The mass of
the baseball is 0.145 kg.
a. What is the baseball’s acceleration?

a
 0.0 m/s - 30.0 m/s   6.0  10 3 m/s2
0.0050 s

b. What are the magnitude and direction of the force acting on it?

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
F ma  0.145 kg   6.0  10 3 m/s 2 = -8.7  10 2 N 
 opposite direction of the velocity of the ball

c. What are the magnitude and direction of the force acting on the player who caught it?

Same magnitude, opposite direction (in direction of velocity of ball)

8. A 2.0-kg mass (mA) and a 3.0-kg mass (mB) are attached to a lightweight cord that passes over a
frictionless pulley. The hanging masses are free to move. Choose coordinate systems for the two
masses with the positive direction up for mA and down for mB.
a) Create a pictorial model.

b) Create a physical model with motion and free-body diagrams.

c) Find the acceleration of the smaller mass.

ma = Fnet where m is the total mass being accelerated

For mA: mAa = T – mAg

For mB: mBa = –T + mBg
T = mBg – mBa = mB(g – a)
= (3.0)(9.80 – 2.0) = 23 N

Substituting into the equation for mA gives

mAa = mBg – mBa – mAg  (mA + mB)a = (mB – mA)g

Therefore,
 m  mA 
a  B g
 mA  mB 
 3.0  2.0 
  9.80
 3.0  2.0 
2.0 m/s 2 , upward

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IV. MASS AND WEIGHT

Mass characterizes the inertial properties of a body.

 The mass m of a body is a scalar; its SI unit is the kilogram. The mass of a body can be
determined by comparing it to the standard kilogram. Mass is an intrinsic property of a body; it
is the same on the earth's surface, in an orbiting satellite, on Mars, or in interstellar space.

Weight is a force exerted on a body by the pull of the earth.

Mass and weight are related:

- Bodies having large mass also have large weight.
- A large stone is hard to throw because of its large mass, and hard to lift off the ground because
of its large weight.

More generally, a body with mass m must have weight with magnitude w given by

W = mg (magnitude of the weight of a body of mass m) (9)

where g is the free-fall acceleration at the location of the body. Since the free-fall acceleration varies
from point to point, the weight of an object depends on its location, and is therefore not an
intrinsic property of a body.

 magnitude w of a body’s weight is directly proportional to its mass m

The weight W of a body is a vector; its SI unit in the Newton. Thus, in vector quantity, we write
 
W mg (9a)

Examples:
1. Complete the following table showing the relationship between mass and weight.

Object Mass (kg) Weight (N)

9.8 N (or ~10 N if approximating g to be 10
Melon 1 kg
m/s/s)
0.1 kg (or ~0.098 kg if approximating g
Apple 0.98 N
to be 10 m/s/s)
245 N (or ~250 N if approximating g to be
Pat Eatladee 25 kg
10 m/s/s)
100 kg (or ~98 kg if approximating g to
Fred 980 N
be 10 m/s/s)

2. Different masses are hung on a spring scale calibrated in Newtons.

a. The force exerted by gravity on 1 kg = 9.8 N.
b. The force exerted by gravity on 5 kg = ______ N.
c. The force exerted by gravity on _______ kg = 98 N.
d. The force exerted by gravity on 70 kg = ________ N.

Answer:
a. 49 N (~50 N if approximating g to be 10 m/s/s)
b. 10 kg (~9.8 kg if approximating g to be 10 m/s/s)
c. 686 N (~700 N if approximating g to be 10 m/s/s)

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3. When a person diets, is their goal to lose mass or to lose weight? Explain.
o Generally, people diet because they wish to reduce the amount of matter on their body -
they wish to remove the blubber. So, people diet to lose mass. If one wishes to lose weight,
they could get a six-fold reduction by moving to the moon. Groovy.

Classroom Exercises 2
1. A 3.00-kg object undergoes an acceleration given by a = (2.00 i + 5.00 j) m/s2. Find (a) the
resultant force acting on the object and (b) the magnitude of the resultant force.
2. A toy rocket engine is securely fastened to a large puck that can glide with negligible friction
over a horizontal surface, taken as the xy plane. The 4.00-kg puck has a velocity of 3.00 i m/s at
one instant. Eight seconds later, its velocity is (8.00 i + 10.00 j) m/s. Assuming the rocket engine
exerts a constant horizontal force, find (a) the components of the force and (b) its magnitude.
3. The gravitational force exerted on a baseball is 2.21 N down. A pitcher throws the ball
horizontally with velocity 18.0 m/s by uniformly accelerating it along a straight horizontal line
for a time interval of 170 ms. The ball starts from rest. (a) Through what distance does it move
before its release? (b) What are the magnitude and direction of the force the pitcher exerts on
the ball?
4. Besides the gravitational force, a 2.80-kg object is subjected to one other constant force. The
object starts from rest and in 1.20 s experiences a displacement of (4.20 i - 3.30 j) m, where the
direction of j is the upward vertical direction. Determine the other force.
5. An object of mass m is dropped at t 5 0 from the roof of a building of height h. While the object
is falling, a wind blowing parallel to the face of the building exerts a constant horizontal force F
on the object. (a) At what time t does the object strike the ground? Express t in terms of g and
h. (b) Find an expression in terms of m and F for the acceleration ax of the object in the
horizontal direction (taken as the positive x-direction). (c) How far is the object displaced
horizontally before hitting the ground? Answer in terms of m, g, F, and h. (d) Find the
magnitude of the object’s acceleration while it is falling, using the variables F, m, and g.

V. NEWTON’S THIRD LAW

According to Newton, whenever objects A and B interact with each other, they exert forces upon each
other. When you sit in your chair, your body exerts a downward force on the chair and the chair exerts
an upward force on your body. There are two forces resulting from this interaction - a force on the chair
and a force on your body. These two forces are called action and reaction forces and are the subject of
Newton's third law of motion.

Formally stated, Newton's third law is:

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

The statement means that in every interaction, there is a pair of forces acting on the two interacting
objects. The size of the forces on the first object equals the size of the force on the second object. The
direction of the force on the first object is opposite to the direction of the force on the second object.

Forces always come in pairs - equal and opposite action-reaction force pairs.

A variety of action-reaction force pairs are evident in nature.

 Consider the propulsion of a fish through the water. A fish uses its fins to push water
backwards. But a push on the water will only serve to accelerate the water. Since forces result
from mutual interactions, the water must also be pushing the fish forwards, propelling the fish
through the water. The size of the force on the water equals the size of the force on the fish; the
direction of the force on the water (backwards) is opposite the direction of the force on the fish
(forwards). For every action, there is an equal (in size) and opposite (in direction) reaction
force. Action-reaction force pairs make it possible for fish to swim.

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 Consider the flying motion of birds. A bird flies by use of its wings. The wings of a bird push air
downwards. Since forces result from mutual interactions, the air must also be pushing the bird
upwards. The size of the force on the air equals the size of the force on the bird; the direction of
the force on the air (downwards) is opposite the direction of the force on the bird (upwards).
For every action, there is an equal (in size) and opposite (in direction) reaction. Action-reaction
force pairs make it possible for birds to fly.

 Consider the motion of a car on the way to school. A car is equipped with wheels which spin
backwards. As the wheels spin backwards, they grip the road and push the road backwards.
Since forces result from mutual interactions, the road must also be pushing the wheels forward.
The size of the force on the road equals the size of the force on the wheels (or car); the direction
of the force on the road (backwards) is opposite the direction of the force on the wheels
(forwards). For every action, there is an equal (in size) and opposite (in direction) reaction.
Action-reaction force pairs make it possible for cars to move along a roadway surface.

Examples:
1. Many people are familiar with the fact that a rifle recoils when fired. This recoil is the result of
action-reaction force pairs. A gunpowder explosion creates hot gases which expand outward
allowing the rifle to push forward on the bullet. Consistent with Newton's third law of motion, the
bullet pushes backwards upon the rifle. The acceleration of the recoiling rifle is ...
a. greater than the acceleration of the bullet.
b. smaller than the acceleration of the bullet.
c. the same size as the acceleration of the bullet.

 The force on the rifle equals the force on the bullet. Yet, acceleration depends on both force and
mass. The bullet has a greater acceleration due to the fact that it has a smaller mass. Remember:
acceleration and mass are inversely proportional.

2. Consider the interaction depicted below between foot A, ball B, and foot C. The three objects
interact simultaneously (at the same time). Identify the two pairs of action-reaction forces. Use the
notation "foot A", "foot C", and "ball B" in your statements. Click the button to view the answer.

 The first pair of action-reaction force pairs is: foot A pushes ball B to the right; and ball B
pushes foot A to the left. The second pair of action-reaction force pairs is: foot C pushes ball B
to the left; and ball B pushes foot C to the right

3. Identify at least six pairs of action-reaction force pairs in the following diagram.

 The elephant's feet push backward on the ground; the ground pushes forward on its feet. The
right end of the right rope pulls leftward on the elephant's body; its body pulls rightward on the

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Lecture Notes in NEWTON’S LAWS OF MOTION 15

right end of the right rope. The left end of the right rope pulls rightward on the man; the man
pulls leftward on the left end of the right rope. The right end of the left rope pulls leftward on
the man; the man pulls rightward on the right end of the left rope. The tractor pulls leftward on
the right end of the left rope; the left end of the left rope pulls rightward on the tractor. etc., etc.

4. You lift a bowling ball with your hand, accelerating it upward. What are the forces on the ball?
What are the other parts of the action-reaction pairs? On what objects are they exerted?

 The force of your hand on the ball, the gravitational force of Earth’s mass on the ball. The force
of the ball on your hand, the gravitational force of the ball’s mass on Earth. The force of your
feet on Earth, the force of Earth on your feet.

5. A car brakes to a halt. What forces act on the car? What are the other parts of the action-reaction
pairs? On what objects are they exerted?

 The backward (friction) and upward (normal) force of the road on the tires and the
gravitational force of Earth’s mass on the car. The forward (friction) and the downward force of
the tires on the road and the gravitational force of the car’s mass on Earth.

VI. FREE-BODY DIAGRAMS

Drawing Free-Body Diagrams

Free-body diagrams are diagrams used to show the relative magnitude and direction of all forces acting
upon an object in a given situation.
Fnorm

Fapp

Ffrict

Fgrav

There is no hard and fast rule about the number of forces which must be drawn in a free-body diagram.
The only rule for drawing free-body diagrams is to depict all the forces which exist for that object in the
given situation. Thus, to construct free-body diagrams, it is extremely important to know the various
types of forces.

Examples:
1. Consider the three situations below in which the net force is determined by summing the
individual force vectors which are acting upon the objects.

Ftens = 1200 N Fair = 600 N Fnorm = 50 N

Ffric = 20 N
A B C

Fgrav = 50 N
Fgrav = 800 N Fgrav = 800 N

A: Fnet is 400 N, up
B: Fnet is 200 N, down
C: Fnet is 20 N, left

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2. Free-body diagrams for four situations are shown below. For each situation, determine the net force
acting upon the object.
Situation A
Situation B

Fnorm = 3 N Fnorm = 3 N

Ffric = 5 N Fapp = 5 N Ffric = 5 N

Fgrav = 3 N Fgrav = 3 N

Situation C Situation D

Fnorm = 20 N Fair = 40 N

Fgrav = 20 N Fgrav = 25 N

 A: The net force is zero Newtons. All the individual forces balance each other (i.e., cancel each
other out).
 B: The net force is 5 Newtons, left. The vertical forces balance each other (i.e., cancel each
other out). The leftward force (friction) remains unbalanced.
 C: The net force is zero Newtons. All the individual forces balance each other (i.e., cancel each
other out).
 D: The net force is 15 Newtons, up. The upward force of air resistance is only partially balanced
by the downward force of gravity - 15 N of upward force remains unbalanced.

3. Free-body diagrams for four situations are shown below. The net force is known for each situation.
However, the magnitudes of a few of the individual forces are not known. Analyze each situation
individually and determine the magnitude of the unknown forces.

B C 300 N F
A 50 N 80 N D 20 N G

200 N 200 N E H

Fnet = 0 N Fnet = 900 N, up Fnet = 60 N, left Fnet = 30 N, right

A = 50 N (the horizontal forces must be balanced)

B = 200 N (the vertical forces must be balanced)
C = 1100 N (in order to have a net force of 200 N, up)
D = 20 N (in order to have a net force of 60 N, left)
E = 300 N (the vertical forces must be balanced)
F = H = any number you wish (as long as F equals H)
G = 50 N (in order to have a net force of 30 N, right)

Classroom Exercises 3
Construct free-body diagrams for the various situations described below.
1. A book is at rest on a table top. Diagram the forces acting on the book.

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Lecture Notes in NEWTON’S LAWS OF MOTION 17

2. A girl is suspended motionless from the ceiling by two ropes. Diagram the forces acting on the
combination of girl and bar.
3. An egg is free-falling from a nest in a tree. Neglect air resistance. Diagram the forces acting on
the egg as it is falling.
4. A flying squirrel is gliding (no wing flaps) from a tree to the ground at constant velocity.
Consider air resistance. Diagram the forces acting on the squirrel.
5. A rightward force is applied to a book in order to move it across a desk with a rightward
acceleration. Consider frictional forces. Neglect air resistance. Diagram the forces acting on the
book.
6. A rightward force is applied to a book in order to move it across a desk at constant velocity.
Consider frictional forces. Neglect air resistance. Diagram the forces acting on the book.
7. A college student rests a backpack upon his shoulder. The pack is suspended motionless by one
strap from one shoulder. Diagram the vertical forces acting on the backpack.
8. A skydiver is descending with a constant velocity. Consider air resistance. Diagram the forces
acting upon the skydiver.
9. A force is applied to the right to drag a sled across loosely-packed snow with a rightward
acceleration. Diagram the forces acting upon the sled.
10. A football is moving upwards towards its peak after having been booted by the punter. Diagram
the forces acting upon the football as it rises upward towards its peak.
11. A car is coasting to the right and slowing down. Diagram the forces acting upon the car.

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