Newton's Second Law and Calculator

Newton's Second Law of Motion and How to Calculate It

Newton's Second Law of Motion is a key concept in classical physics. It states that an object's acceleration increases with the net force applied and decreases as its mass becomes larger. In other words, applying more force will cause the object to speed up faster, while a heavier object will accelerate more slowly under the same amount of force.

It can be represented mathematically as:

\(F = m \times a\)

• F = Force applied on the object (measured in newtons, N)
• m = Mass of the object (measured in kilograms, kg)
• a = Acceleration of the object (measured in meters per second squared, \(m/s^2\))

This equation makes it possible to determine any one of the three variables when the other two are provided.

1. To find Force: Multiply mass by acceleration (F = m \(\times\) a).
2. To find Mass: Divide force by acceleration (m = F \(\div\) a).
3. To find Acceleration: Divide force by mass (a = F \(\div\) m).

Example Calculation

Suppose a 10 kg object is pushed with a force of 50 N. To find its acceleration:

Using the formula a = F \(\div\) m:

a = 50 \(\div\) 10 = 5 \(m/s^2\)

Therefore, the object accelerates at 5 meters per second squared.