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• LAW OF INERTIA
• LAW OF
ACCELERATION
• LAW OF ACTION-
REACTION
LAW OF INERTIA
An object at rest will
remain at rest unless
acted on by an
unbalanced force. An
object in motion
continues in motion
with the same speed
and in the same
direction unless acted
upon by an unbalanced
force.
What does this mean?
This means that there is a natural
tendency of objects to keep on doing
what they're doing. All objects resist
changes in their state of motion. In the
absence of an unbalanced force, an
object in motion will maintain this state
of motion.
What is the motion in this picture?
I
.
Mass as a Measure of the Amount of 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 that quantity which
is solely dependent upon the
inertia of an object. The
more inertia which an object
has, the more mass it has.
Check Your Understanding
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 will
a. gradually stop.
b. continue in motion in the same
direction at constant speed.
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. 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. Physics for better living!
Balanced and Unbalanced Forces
.
Determining the Net Force
Drawing Free-Body Diagrams
1. A book is at rest on a
table top. A free-body
diagram for this
situation looks like this:
2. A girl is suspended
motionless from the ceiling
by two ropes. A free-body
diagram for this situation
looks like this:
3. An egg is free-falling
from a nest in a tree.
Neglect air resistance. A
free-body diagram for this
situation looks like this:
4. A flying squirrel is
gliding (no wing flaps) from
a tree to the ground at
constant velocity. Consider
air resistance. A free-body
diagram for this situation
looks like this:
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. A free-
body diagram for this
situation looks like this:
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. A free-body
diagram for this situation
looks like this:
7. A force is applied
to the right to drag a
sled across loosely-
packed snow with a
rightward
acceleration. A free-
body diagram for
this situation looks
like this:
8. A car is coasting to the
right and slowing down.
A free-body diagram for
this situation looks like
this:
LAW OF ACCELERATION
or
An applied force of 50 N is
used to accelerate an object to
the right across a frictional
surface. The object
encounters 10 N of friction.
Use the diagram to determine
the normal force, the net
force, the mass, and the
acceleration of the object.
(Neglect air resistance.)
Fnorm = 80 N
m = 8.16 kg
Fnet = 40 N, right
m = 10.2 kg
Fnet = 10 N, right
"mu" = 0.1