Week 6 – Dynamics 1
1. Newton’s Laws of Motion
Definition:
Newton’s Laws of Motion are three fundamental principles that describe the relationship between
the motion of an object and the forces acting on it. These laws form the foundation of classical
mechanics and are essential for understanding how objects move under various forces.
Newton's First Law of Motion (The Law of Inertia)
Statement:
An object at rest will remain at rest, and an object in motion will remain in motion at a constant
velocity, unless acted upon by an unbalanced external force.
Explanation:
This law is also called the law of inertia. It implies that objects do not change their state of motion
(rest or constant motion) unless a force causes that change. In simpler terms, if there is no force
acting on an object, it will keep doing what it's doing. If it's at rest, it stays at rest. If it's moving, it
keeps moving in a straight line at a constant speed.
Example:
A book lying on a table will stay at rest until someone pushes it. If the book is sliding across the
table, it will eventually stop because of friction (a force acting on it). Without friction, the book
would continue sliding indefinitely.
Newton's Second Law of Motion
Statement:
The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely
proportional to its mass. This law is usually written as:
F = ma
Where:
F is the force applied (in Newtons, N),
m is the mass of the object (in kilograms, kg),
a is the acceleration (in meters per second squared, m/s²).
Explanation:
This law explains how the velocity of an object changes when it is subjected to a force. A larger
force will produce a larger acceleration, and a larger mass will produce a smaller acceleration, for
the same amount of force.
Example:
A car with a mass of 1000 kg is pushed with a force of 2000 N. The acceleration would be:
F 2000
a= = = 2 m/s2
m 1000
If the same force is applied to a 500 kg car, the acceleration would be:
2000 2
a= = 4 m/s
500
Thus, a smaller mass results in a larger acceleration.
Newton's Third Law of Motion
Statement:
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Explanation:
This law means that if one object exerts a force on another object, the second object exerts a force
of equal magnitude but in the opposite direction on the first object. Forces always come in pairs.
Example:
When you jump off a boat into the water, your action of pushing against the boat (force)
causes the boat to move backward. The boat's reaction (force) is to push you forward into the
water.
When a rocket is launched, the engine expels gases downward (action), and the rocket moves
upward (reaction).
2. Work, Energy, and Power
Definition of Work:
Work is done when a force is applied to an object, and the object moves in the direction of the
applied force. It is calculated using the formula:
W = F × d × cos(θ)
Where:
W is the work done (in joules, J),
F is the force applied (in newtons, N),
d is the displacement of the object (in meters, m),
θ is the angle between the force and the displacement vector.
If the force and displacement are in the same direction, cos(θ) = 1, and the formula simplifies to:
W =F ×d
Example:
If a person pushes a box with a force of 10 N for a distance of 5 meters in the direction of the
force, the work done is:
W = 10 N × 5 m = 50 J
Definition of Energy:
Energy is the capacity to do work. There are several forms of energy, such as kinetic energy,
potential energy, thermal energy, and more.
Kinetic Energy:
Definition:
Kinetic energy is the energy possessed by an object due to its motion. It is given by the formula:
1 2
KE = mv
2
Where:
KE is the kinetic energy (in joules, J),
m is the mass of the object (in kilograms, kg),
v is the velocity of the object (in meters per second, m/s).
Example:
A car of mass 1000 kg moving at 20 m/s has:
1
KE = × 1000 × (20)2 = 200, 000 J
2
Potential Energy:
Definition:
Potential energy is the energy stored in an object due to its position in a force field, like gravity. The
formula for gravitational potential energy is:
PE = mgh
Where:
PE is the potential energy (in joules, J),
m is the mass of the object (in kilograms, kg),
g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s²),
h is the height of the object above the ground (in meters).
Example:
A rock of mass 5 kg held 10 meters above the ground:
PE = 5 × 9.8 × 10 = 490 J
Definition of Power:
Power is the rate at which work is done or energy is transferred. It is calculated using the formula:
W
P =
t
Where:
P is the power (in watts, W),
W is the work done (in joules, J),
t is the time taken (in seconds, s).
Example:
If 100 joules of work is done in 10 seconds, the power used is:
100
P = = 10 W
10
3. Impulse and Momentum
Definition of Momentum:
Momentum is a measure of the motion of an object and is the product of its mass and velocity. It is
given by:
p = mv
Where:
p is the momentum (in kg·m/s),
m is the mass (in kilograms, kg),
v is the velocity (in meters per second, m/s).
Example:
A 5 kg object moving at 3 m/s has a momentum of:
p = 5 × 3 = 15 kg\cdotpm/s
Impulse:
Definition:
Impulse is the change in momentum of an object when a force acts upon it for an interval of time. It
is given by:
J = F × Δt
Where:
J is the impulse (in N·s),
F is the force applied (in newtons, N),
Δt is the time interval over which the force acts (in seconds, s).
Impulse-Momentum Theorem:
The impulse acting on an object is equal to the change in its momentum:
J = Δp = m(vf − vi )
Where:
vf is the final velocity,
vi is the initial velocity.
Example:
A 2 kg object initially at rest is acted upon by a force of 4 N for 3 seconds. The impulse is:
J = 4 × 3 = 12 N\cdotps
The change in momentum will be:
Δp = m(vf − vi ) = 2 × (vf − 0) = 12
So, vf = 6 m/s.
Summary
Newton’s Laws of Motion explain the fundamental principles of motion, forces, and
interactions.
Work, Energy, and Power are interrelated concepts, where work is done when a force moves
an object, energy is the capacity to do work, and power is the rate of doing work.
Impulse and Momentum describe how forces affect the motion of objects, with impulse
causing a change in momentum.
These concepts are essential for understanding the movement of objects under various forces in
real-life scenarios and in the context of physics and engineering.
