ConcepTest 4.

1a Newton’s First Law I

1) there is a net force but the book has too
A book is lying at rest
much inertia
on a table. The book
will remain there at 2) there are no forces acting on it at all
rest because: 3) it does move, but too slowly to be seen
4) there is no net force on the book
5) there is a net force, but the book is too
heavy to move

There are forces acting on the book,

book but the only
forces acting are in the y-direction. Gravity acts
downward, but the table exerts an upward force
that is equally strong, so the two forces cancel,
leaving no net force.
force
 ConcepTest 4.1b Newton’s First Law II
A hockey puck
1) more than its weight
slides on ice at
constant velocity. 2) equal to its weight
What is the net 3) less than its weight but more than zero
force acting on the
4) depends on the speed of the puck
puck?
5) zero

The puck is moving at a constant velocity,

velocity and
therefore it is not accelerating.
accelerating Thus, there must
be no net force acting on the puck.

Follow-up: Are there any forces acting on the puck? What are they?
 ConcepTest 4.1c Newton’s First Law III
You put your book on
1) a net force acted on it
the bus seat next to you.
When the bus stops 2) no net force acted on it
suddenly, the book 3) it remained at rest
slides forward off the
4) it did not move, but only seemed to
seat. Why?
5) gravity briefly stopped acting on it

The book was initially moving forward (since it was

on a moving bus). When the bus stopped, the book

continued moving forward,

forward which was its initial state
of motion,
motion and therefore it slid forward off the seat.

Follow-up: What is the force that usually keeps the book on the seat?
 ConcepTest 4.1d Newton’s First Law IV
1) the force pushing the stone forward
You kick a smooth flat
finally stopped pushing on it
stone out on a frozen
2) no net force acted on the stone
pond. The stone slides,
3) a net force acted on it all along
slows down and
4) the stone simply “ran out of steam”
eventually stops. You
conclude that: 5) the stone has a natural tendency to
be at rest

After the stone was kicked, no force was pushing

it along! However, there must have been some
force acting on the stone to slow it down and stop
it.
it This would be friction!!

Follow-up: What would you have to do to keep the stone moving?

 ConcepTest 4.2a Cart on Track I
Consider a cart on a
1) slowly come to a stop
horizontal frictionless
table. Once the cart has 2) continue with constant acceleration
been given a push and 3) continue with decreasing acceleration
released, what will 4) continue with constant velocity
happen to the cart? 5) immediately come to a stop

After the cart is released, there is no longer a force in

the x-direction. This does not mean that the cart stops
moving!! It simply means that the cart will continue
moving with the same velocity it had at the moment of
release. The initial push got the cart moving, but that
force is not needed to keep the cart in motion.
 ConcepTest 4.2b Cart on Track II
We just decided that
1) push the cart harder before release
the cart continues with
constant velocity. 2) push the cart longer before release
What would have to be 3) push the cart continuously
done in order to have
the cart continue with 4) change the mass of the cart
constant acceleration? 5) it is impossible to do that

In order to achieve a non-zero acceleration, it is

necessary to maintain the applied force.
force The
only way to do this would be to continue pushing
the cart as it moves down the track. This will
lead us to a discussion of Newton’s Second Law.
 ConcepTest 4.3 Truck on Frozen Lake
A very large truck sits on a
1) it is too heavy, so it just sits there
frozen lake. Assume there
is no friction between the 2) it moves backward at const. speed
tires and the ice. A fly 3) it accelerates backward
suddenly smashes against
4) it moves forward at const. speed
the front window. What
will happen to the truck? 5) it accelerates forward

When the fly hit the truck, it exerted a force on the truck
(only for a fraction of a second). So, in this time period,
the truck accelerated (backwards) up to some speed.
After the fly was squashed, it no longer exerted a force,
and the truck simply continued moving at constant speed.

Follow-up: What is the truck doing 5 minutes after the fly hit it?
 ConcepTest 4.4a Off to the Races I
From rest, we step on the gas of our 1) 16 s
Ferrari, providing a force F for 4 secs,
speeding it up to a final speed v. If the 2) 8 s
applied force were only 1/2 F, how long 3) 4 s
would it have to be applied to reach the
4) 2 s
same final speed?
5) 1 s

In the first case, the acceleration

acts over time T = 4 s to give
velocity v = aT. In the second
case, the force is half,
half therefore F
the acceleration is also half,
half so
to achieve the same final speed,
the time must be doubled.
doubled
v
 ConcepTest 4.4b Off to the Races II
From rest, we step on the gas of our
1) 250 m
Ferrari, providing a force F for 4 secs.
During this time, the car moves 50 m. If 2) 200 m
the same force would be applied for 8 3) 150 m
secs, how much would the car have
4) 100 m
traveled during this time?
5) 50 m

In the first case, the acceleration

acts over time T = 4 s,s to give a
distance of x = ½aT2 (why is
there no v0T term?). In the 2nd F
case, the time is doubled,
doubled so the
distance is quadrupled because
it goes as the square of the time.
time v
 ConcepTest 4.4c Off to the Races III
We step on the brakes of our Ferrari, 1) 100 m
providing a force F for 4 secs. During this
time, the car moves 25 m, but does not 2) 50 m < x < 100 m
stop. If the same force would be applied 3) 50 m
for 8 secs, how far would the car have
4) 25 m < x < 50 m
traveled during this time?
5) 25 m

In the first 4 secs, the car has

still moved 25 m.m However,
since the car is slowing
down,
down in the next 4 secs, it
F
must cover less distance.
distance
Therefore, the total distance
must be more than 25 m but
less than 50 m.m
v
 ConcepTest 4.4d Off to the Races IV
From rest, we step on the gas of our 1) 200 km/hr
Ferrari, providing a force F for 40 m, 2) 100 km/hr
speeding it up to a final speed 50
3) 90 km/hr
km/hr. If the same force would be
4) 70 km/hr
applied for 80 m, what final speed
would the car reach? 5) 50 km/hr

In the first case, the acceleration

acts over a distance x = 40 m,m to
give a final speed of v2 = 2ax
(why is there no v02 term?). F
In the 2nd case, the distance is
doubled,
doubled so the speed increases
by a factor of 2 . v
 ConcepTest 4.5 Force and Mass
A force F acts on mass M for a 1) 4 v
time interval T, giving it a final
2) 2 v
speed v. If the same force acts
for the same time on a different 3) v
mass 2M, what would be the 4) 1/2 v
final speed of the bigger mass? 5) 1/4 v

In the first case, the acceleration acts over time T to give

velocity v = aT. In the second case, the mass is doubled,
doubled
so the acceleration is cut in half,
half therefore, in the same
time T, the final speed will only be half as much.

Follow-up: What would you have to do to get 2M to reach speed v?

 ConcepTest 4.6 Force and Two Masses
1) 3/4 a1
A force F acts on mass m1 giving acceleration a1.
The same force acts on a different mass m2 giving 2) 3/2 a1
acceleration a2 = 2a1. If m1 and m2 are glued 3) 1/2 a1
together and the same force F acts on this
combination, what is the resulting acceleration? 4) 4/3 a1

5) 2/3 a1
m1
F a1
F = m1 a 1
Mass m2 must be (1/2)m1 because its
a2 = 2a1
m2 acceleration was 2a1 with the same
F
F = m2 a2 = (1/2 m1 )(2a1 )
force. Adding the two masses
together gives (3/2)m1, leading to an
m2 m1
F a3
acceleration of (2/3)a1 for the same

F = (3/2)m1 a3 => a3 = (2/3) a1 applied force.

 ConcepTest 4.7a Gravity and Weight I

What can you say 1) Fg is greater on the feather

about the force of 2) Fg is greater on the stone

3) Fg is zero on both due to vacuum

gravity Fg acting on a
4) Fg is equal on both always
stone and a feather?
5) Fg is zero on both always

The force of gravity (weight) depends on

the mass of the object!! The stone has
more mass, therefore more weight.
 ConcepTest 4.7b Gravity and Weight II

What can you say about 1) it is greater on the feather

the acceleration of 2) it is greater on the stone

gravity acting on the 3) it is zero on both due to vacuum

stone and the feather? 4) it is equal on both always

5) it is zero on both always

The acceleration is given by F/m so

here the mass divides out. Since we
know that the force of gravity (weight)
is mg,
mg then we end up with
acceleration g for both objects.

Follow-up: Which one hits the bottom first?

 ConcepTest 4.8 On the Moon
An astronaut on Earth kicks 1) more
a bowling ball and hurts his
2) less
foot. A year later, the same
3) the same
astronaut kicks a bowling
ball on the Moon with the
same force. His foot hurts...

Ouch!
The masses of both the bowling ball
and the astronaut remain the same, so
his foot feels the same resistance and
hurts the same as before.

Follow-up: What is different about

the bowling ball on the Moon?
 ConcepTest 4.9a Going Up I
A block of mass m rests on the floor of an 1) N > mg
elevator that is moving upward at constant 2) N = mg
speed. What is the relationship between the
3) N < mg (but not zero)
force due to gravity and the normal force on
the block? 4) N = 0
5) depends on the size of the
elevator

The block is moving at constant speed, so

it must have no net force on it. The forces v
on it are N (up) and mg (down), so N = mg,
mg
just like the block at rest on a table.
m
 ConcepTest 4.9b Going Up II
A block of mass m rests on the 1) N > mg
floor of an elevator that is 2) N = mg
accelerating upward. What is
3) N < mg (but not zero)
the relationship between the
force due to gravity and the 4) N = 0
normal force on the block? 5) depends on the size of the
elevator

The block is accelerating upward, so

N
it must have a net upward force.
force The
m
forces on it are N (up) and mg (down), a>0
so N must be greater than mg in order
mg

to give the net upward force!

force F = N – mg = ma >
Follow-up: What is the normal force if 0
the elevator is in free fall downward?  N > mg
 ConcepTest 4.12 Climbing the Rope
1) this slows your initial velocity which
When you climb up a rope, is already upward
the first thing you do is pull 2) you don’t go up, you’re too heavy
down on the rope. How do 3) you’re not really pulling down – it
just seems that way
you manage to go up the
4) the rope actually pulls you up
rope by doing that??
5) you are pulling the ceiling down

When you pull down on the rope, the rope pulls up on

you!! It is actually this upward force by the rope that
makes you move up! This is the “reaction”
reaction force (by the
rope on you)
you to the force that you exerted on the rope.
rope
And voilá, this is Newton’s 3rd Law.
 ConcepTest 4.13a Bowling vs. Ping-Pong I
1) the bowling ball exerts a greater
In outer space, a bowling ball force on the ping-pong ball
and a ping-pong ball attract 2) the ping-pong ball exerts a greater
each other due to force on the bowling ball
gravitational forces. How do 3) the forces are equal
the magnitudes of these 4) the forces are zero because they
attractive forces compare? cancel out
5) there are actually no forces at all

The forces are equal and

opposite by Newton’s 3rd
Law! F12 F21
 ConcepTest 4.13b Bowling vs. Ping-Pong II
1) they do not accelerate because
In outer space, gravitational they are weightless
forces exerted by a bowling ball 2) accels. are equal, but not opposite
and a ping-pong ball on each 3) accelerations are opposite, but
other are equal and opposite. bigger for the bowling ball
How do their accelerations 4) accelerations are opposite, but
compare? bigger for the ping-pong ball
5) accels. are equal and opposite

The forces are equal and opposite --

this is Newton’s 3rd Law!! But the

acceleration is F/m and so the smaller

F12 F21
mass has the bigger acceleration.
acceleration

Follow-up: Where will the balls meet if

they are released from this position?
 ConcepTest 4.14a Collision Course I
1) the car
A small car collides 2) the truck
with a large truck. 3) both the same
Which experiences the 4) it depends on the velocity of each
greater impact force? 5) it depends on the mass of each

According to Newton’s 3rd Law, both vehicles experience

the same magnitude of force.
 ConcepTest 4.14b Collision Course II
1) the car
In the collision
2) the truck
between the car and
3) both the same
the truck, which has
the greater 4) it depends on the velocity of each
acceleration? 5) it depends on the mass of each

We have seen that both

vehicles experience the
same magnitude of force.
But the acceleration is
given by F/m so the car
has the larger acceleration,
acceleration
since it has the smaller
mass.
mass
 ConcepTest 4.15a Contact Force I
If you push with force F on either
1) case A
the heavy box (m1) or the light box
(m2), in which of the two cases 2) case B
below is the contact force between 3) same in both cases
the two boxes larger?

The acceleration of both masses together

A
is the same in either case. But the contact m1
m2
force is the only force that accelerates m1 F
in case A (or m2 in case B). Since m1 is the
larger mass,
mass it requires the larger contact B
force to achieve the same acceleration.
m1 F
Follow-up: What is the accel. of each mass? m2
 ConcepTest 4.15b Contact Force II
Two blocks of masses 2m and m 1) 2 F

are in contact on a horizontal 2) F

frictionless surface. If a force F is 3) 1/2 F
applied to mass 2m, what is the 4) 1/3 F
force on mass m ? 5) 1/4 F

The force F leads to a specific

acceleration of the entire system. In F
order for mass m to accelerate at the 2m m
same rate, the force on it must be
smaller! How small?? Let’s see...

Follow-up: What is the acceleration of each mass?

 ConcepTest 4.16a Tension I
1) 0 N
You tie a rope to a tree and
2) 50 N
you pull on the rope with a
3) 100 N
force of 100 N. What is the 4) 150 N
tension in the rope? 5) 200 N

The tension in the rope is the force that the rope “feels”
across any section of it (or that you would feel if you
replaced a piece of the rope). Since you are pulling with
a force of 100 N, that is the tension in the rope.
 ConcepTest 4.16b Tension II

Two tug-of-war opponents each 1) 0 N

pull with a force of 100 N on 2) 50 N

opposite ends of a rope. What is 3) 100 N

the tension in the rope? 4) 150 N

5) 200 N

This is literally the identical situation to the

previous question. The tension is not 200 N !!
Whether the other end of the rope is pulled by a
person, or pulled by a tree, the tension in the rope
is still 100 N !!
 ConcepTest 4.16c Tension III
1) you and your friend each pull on
You and a friend can opposite ends of the rope
each pull with a force 2) tie the rope to a tree, and you both pull
from the same end
of 20 N. If you want
3) it doesn’t matter -- both of the above are
to rip a rope in half, equivalent
4) get a large dog to bite the rope
what is the best way?

Take advantage of the fact that the tree can pull with
almost any force (until it falls down, that is!). You
and your friend should team up on one end, and let
the tree make the effort on the other end.
 ConcepTest 4.17 Three Blocks
Three blocks of mass 3m, 2m, and m 1) T1 > T2 > T3
are connected by strings and pulled
2) T1 < T2 < T3
with constant acceleration a. What
is the relationship between the 3) T1 = T2 = T3
tension in each of the strings? 4) all tensions are zero
5) tensions are random

T1 pulls the whole set

of blocks along, so it a
must be the largest.
largest
T2 pulls the last two 3m T3 T2 T1
2m m
masses, but T3 only

pulls the last mass. Follow-up: What is T1 in terms of m and a?

 ConcepTest 4.18 Over the Edge
In which case does block m experience a 1) case 1
larger acceleration? In (1) there is a 10 2) acceleration is zero
kg mass hanging from a rope and falling.
In (2) a hand is providing a constant 3) both cases are the same
downward force of 98 N. Assume 4) depends on value of m
massless ropes.
5) case 2

In (2) the tension is 98 N m

m
due to the hand. In (1)
the tension is less than a
10kg a
98 N because the block
F = 98 N
is accelerating down.
down
Only if the block were at Case (1) Case (2)
rest would the tension
be equal to 98 N.
 ConcepTest 4.19 Friction
A box sits in a pickup truck 1) the force from the rushing air
on a frictionless truck bed. pushed it off

When the truck 2) the force of friction pushed it off

accelerates forward, the 3) no net force acted on the box
box slides off the back of 4) truck went into reverse by accident
the truck because: 5) none of the above

Generally, the reason that the box in the truck bed would move
with the truck is due to friction between the box and the bed.
If there is no friction, there is no force to push the box along,
and it remains at rest. The truck accelerated away, essentially
leaving the box behind!!
 ConcepTest 4.20 Antilock Brakes
Antilock brakes keep 1) k > s so sliding friction is better
the car wheels from
locking and skidding 2) k > s so static friction is better
during a sudden stop. 3) s > k so sliding friction is better
Why does this help 4) s > k so static friction is better
slow the car down?
5) none of the above

Static friction is greater than sliding friction,

friction so
by keeping the wheels from skidding, the static
friction force will help slow the car down more
efficiently than the sliding friction that occurs
during a skid.
 ConcepTest 4.22 Will It Budge?
A box of weight 100 N is at rest 1) moves to the left
on a floor where s = 0.5. A 2) moves to the right
rope is attached to the box and 3) moves up
pulled horizontally with tension
T = 30 N. Which way does the 4) moves down
box move? 5) the box does not move

The static friction force has a

maximum of sN = 40 N.
N The Static friction T
tension in the rope is only 30 N.
N (s= 0.4) m
So the pulling force is not big
enough to overcome friction.

Follow-up: What happens if the tension is 35 N? What about 45 N?