Newton's Second Law of Motion
Definition
Newton's Second Law of Motion states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its inertial mass. In simpler terms, it explains how forces affect an object's motion.
Analogy
Think of pushing a car with different amounts of force. The harder you push (greater force), the faster it accelerates (greater acceleration). Similarly, if you push two cars with equal force but one has less mass (lower inertial mass), it will accelerate more quickly than the other.
Related terms
Gravitational Mass: Gravitational mass refers to the measure of an object's response to the force of gravity. It determines how strongly an object is attracted towards another object due to gravity.
Inertial Mass: Inertial mass refers to the measure of an object's resistance to changes in its motion. It determines how difficult it is for an external force to accelerate or decelerate an object.
Force: Force is a push or pull applied on an object that can cause it to accelerate or deform. It can be measured in Newtons (N) and is represented by vectors, which have both magnitude and direction.
"Newton's Second Law of Motion" appears in:
Subjects (1)
Resources
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.