Newton’s Laws of Motion
Newton’s Laws of Motion
Newton’s Laws of Motion
describe the relationship between an object and the forces acting upon it.
First Law (Law of Inertia): An object remains at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted
upon by an external force. This law explains the concept of inertia, where objects resist changes to their
state of motion. For example, a book resting on a table stays at rest until someone applies a force to
move it.
Second Law: The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and
inversely proportional to its mass, expressed as
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F=ma, where
F is force,
m is mass, and
a is acceleration. This law highlights how heavier objects require more force to achieve the same
acceleration as lighter objects.
Third Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When a swimmer pushes against
the water, the water pushes back with an equal force, propelling the swimmer forward.
Understanding these laws is crucial for studying motion, designing vehicles, and analyzing real-world
mechanics.