law of motion experiment

Exploring the Science of Motion: 5 Simple and Fun Experiments for Kids

Activities » Science » Exploring the Science of Motion: 5 Simple and Fun Experiments for Kids

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Motion is all around us, from the gentle swaying of a tree branch to the roaring power of a race car. It’s a fascinating subject that has captured the imagination of scientists and curious minds alike.

Whether you’re a parent looking for fun and educational activities to do with your kids or an adult who wants to explore the science of motion in a hands-on way, these five simple experiments are sure to delight and inspire.

From creating your own mini rollercoaster to investigating the physics of pendulums, each experiment is designed to be both fun and informative. So grab some materials, roll up your sleeves, and get ready to discover the science of motion in a whole new way!

Newton’s Laws fascinate kids! You’re in for a treat! Science seems almost too good to be true. Even for us adults. Science across the board is not only amazing but can be performed or observed easily and inexpensively.

Remember when we learned about electricity ? How about our friction experiment ? Engaging kids in science seems straightforward, but what if you don’t ignite the sense of awe and wonder of the world?

5 Simple and Fun Experiments for Newton’s Laws of Motion

Experiment 1: balloon rocket.

For this experiment, you will need a long piece of string, a drinking straw, a balloon, and some tape. Cut a piece of string about 5 feet long and tie one end to a chair or doorknob.

Thread the straw onto the other end of the string and tape it in place. Blow up the balloon and pinch the end to keep the air inside. Tape the balloon to the straw and let it go.

The air rushing out of the balloon will propel the straw and create a “rocket” effect.

This experiment demonstrates Newton’s Third Law of Motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When the air rushes out of the balloon, it creates a force that propels the straw in the opposite direction.

You can make the experiment more challenging by adding obstacles for the balloon rocket to navigate around or by using different sizes and shapes of balloons.

Experiment 2: Egg Drop Challenge

For this experiment, you will need an egg, some materials for padding, and a place to drop the egg from. The challenge is to create a protective casing for the egg that will prevent it from breaking when it hits the ground.

You can use materials like cotton balls, bubble wrap, or foam to cushion the egg. Once you’ve created your casing, drop it from different heights and see if the egg survives.

This experiment demonstrates the concept of inertia, which is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its motion. When the egg is dropped, it has a certain amount of kinetic energy that is converted into potential energy as it reaches its highest point.

As the egg falls, the potential energy is converted back into kinetic energy, which causes it to accelerate. The padding around the egg helps to absorb some of the force of the impact and protect it from breaking.

I love this example of the project from Kiwi Co !

Experiment 3: Paper Airplane Race

For this experiment, you will need some paper and some creativity. Fold a piece of paper into an airplane and see how far it can fly. Experiment with different designs and techniques to see which one flies the farthest. You can also have a race with friends to see whose airplane can fly the fastest.

This experiment demonstrates the principles of aerodynamics, which is the study of how objects move through the air. The shape and design of the paper airplane can affect how it flies, with factors like lift, drag, and thrust all playing a role in its performance. By experimenting with different designs, you can learn more about the science of flight.

Experiment 4: DIY Wind Turbine

For this experiment, you will need some basic materials like a plastic bottle, a small motor, and some blades. Cut the top off the bottle and attach the blades to the motor. Place the motor inside the bottle and secure it in place. When the blades are turned by the wind, they will generate electricity that can power small devices like a lightbulb or a fan.

This experiment demonstrates the concept of energy conversion, which is the process of changing one form of energy into another. The kinetic energy of the wind is converted into electrical energy through the rotation of the blades. By experimenting with different blade designs and wind speeds, you can learn more about the science of renewable energy.

Experiment 5: Pendulum Painting

For this experiment, you will need a pendulum (which can be made by tying a weight to a string), some paper, and some paint. Hang the pendulum from a fixed point and place a piece of paper underneath it. Dip the weight into the paint and let it swing back and forth, creating a unique pattern on the paper.

This experiment demonstrates the principles of motion and gravity, with the pendulum swinging back and forth in a predictable pattern. The paint adds an artistic element to the experiment, creating a visual representation of the motion of the pendulum. You can experiment with different colors and weights to create different patterns and designs.

Generation Genius has a wonderful tutorial on pendulum painting with kids .

Newton’s Laws for Kids Must Try Activity

In the meantime, onto our Newton’s Laws of Motion (the 3rd law to be specific) experiment! Every month we receive Steve Spangler’s Science Club Kit . Steve’s Kit is superior and full of amazing experiments, science learning for kids, and a Top Secret guide for parents and teachers. The experiments build (scaffolding) upon each other so kids really get the science. Extremely well done.

The Helicopter Balloon is one super fun way to introduce kids to more complex scientific ideas.

The kit we received includes three blades, a blade connector, a hub, and two balloons. A bit tricky for a younger child to put together but my 6.5-year-old was able to make it happen. The key is after the balloon is blown up, to pinch the balloon as you attach it to the hub, and wait for the amazing science.

Explanation of the Science Behind Each Experiment

Each of these experiments demonstrates different principles of motion and physics.

The balloon rocket experiment shows Newton’s Third Law of Motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The gas coming from the balloon forces the blades to rotate, the blades drive the air down to cause the helicopter to lift. Kids love this activity.

The egg drop challenge demonstrates the concept of inertia, which is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its motion.

The paper airplane race demonstrates the principles of aerodynamics, which is the study of how objects move through the air.

The DIY wind turbine experiment demonstrates the concept of energy conversion, which is the process of changing one form of energy into another.

The pendulum painting experiment demonstrates the principles of motion and gravity.

You can buy the Toysmith Balloon Helicopter kit on your own from Amazon or you can subscribe to Steve Spangler’s Science Club , which I highly recommend.

What if your child has no desire to learn more? I thought about that a while back. If this obstacle sounds familiar check out a post I wrote on Ways to Help a Child with Science Thinking . Let me know what you think.

Newtons Laws Of Motion Activities For Middle School: Ideas For First Law, Second Law, Third Law, Inertia, Motion, And Momentum

February 14, 2024 //  by  Cassie Caroll

There is no better way to teach your middle schooler about the laws of motion than by putting their knowledge into action. While Newton’s laws may seem a bit foreign to your learner at first, we found some of the best hands-on activities to help your student better understand these concepts. An object in motion stays in motion, and we hope these experiments will keep your learner learning! With some common objects and an inquisitive mind, we’ve found these exercises both engaging and enlightening!

Newton’s First Law Activities

1. ball bounce experiment.

One way to demonstrate Newton’s first law is by observing a ball in motion. Head to your garage and grab any type of ball you can find — a basketball, tennis ball, bouncy ball — the more varied the better. Then, have your student execute this activity to observe the different ways an object in motion reacts to outside forces. Consider keeping track of hypotheses and observations in a notebook!

Learn More: Metro Family Magazine

2. Inertia Demonstration

While inertia is a simple concept on the surface, putting the idea into action makes it much more accessible as the laws get more complex. This inertia demonstration allows your student to become the force that disrupts an inert object, plus it can quickly become a favorite “magic trick.”

Learn More: Science Sparks

3. Marble Maze

An object in motion stays in motion, and one way to manipulate the way in which an object moves is by constructing a marble maze. We like how easy this activity is to differentiate depending on your student’s level of understanding.

Learn More: Instructables

4. Inertia Hat

Do you know those pesky wire hangers that never seem to stay intact? Put them to good use with this inertia hat activity! Follow along with this video to experiment with the intricacies of inertia  and to give you and your student permission to get a little silly.

Learn More: Youtube

5. Quarter Catch

This activity will only cost 25 cents! The quarter catch is another experiment that may become a favorite party trick. Your student will place a quarter on their elbow and practice moving quickly enough to catch it before it falls, demonstrating inertia.

Learn More: Science Fun

6. Bernoulli’s Activity

Although this activity is based on Bernoulli’s principle, it has a direct correlation to Newton’s first law. Ask your student to figure out what happens when the force of their breath is applied to the ping pong ball and then when it is taken away. This is a great closure activity that quickly demonstrates the concept while making it fun!

Learn More: 123 Homeschool 4 Me

7. Whack-a-Stack

Like a quick game of Jenga, the whack-a-stack activity gives your student yet another example of Newton’s first law. All you need is a small stack of blocks or similar objects and a pipe-like instrument to conduct this experiment.

Learn More: Exploratorium

Newton’s Second Law Activities

8. marshmallow puff tube.

To explore acceleration and unbalanced forces, grab a marshmallow, some flour, a file folder, and a bit of tape. We love that this can be a very simple demonstration of Newton’s second law or be pushed even further to explore acceleration and friction.

9. Egg Bungee

To conceptualize different types of energy at play, have your student try this egg bungee experiment. You can use a range of materials to look at the roles of potential and kinetic energy, but don’t forget the paper towels for a swift clean up!

Learn More: Museum of Science+Industry Chicago

10. Crater Experiment

This crater experiment creates an excellent visual for Newton’s second law. The craters created by various items will help you demonstrate how mass and acceleration factor into an object’s force. This is another activity that will require some minor cleanup, but placing a towel underneath your experiment area can help.

11. Build a Projectile

Have your student learn about stored energy while creating a new toy  and recycling! This projectile activity is fun and informative and can be done using common household objects. Be sure to check out more instructions in the link.

Learn more: Arvin D. Gupta Toys

Newton’s Third Law Activities

12. popping canisters.

We love this Alka-Seltzer activity! With a little prep, this experiment can be a mess-free, interactive experience with Newton’s third law. This may take a couple of practice rounds, but the demonstration of equal and opposite reactions is well worth the rehearsal.

Learn More: Science Matters

13. Rocket Pinwheel

Bring the action-reaction principle to life with this DIY rocket pinwheel ! Using common household items and a dash of creativity, this rocket pinwheel can quickly become a favorite activity demonstrating Newton’s third law.

Learn More: NASA Teacher’s Resource Center

14. Hero’s Engine

To demonstrate Newton’s third law  and introduce your student to rocketry basics, try this Hero’s Engine activity. This activity can be done using different materials depending on what you have at your disposal. Try this pop can adaptation if you don’t have a plastic cup handy.

Learn More: Wabi 5

15. Marble Momentum 

You can demonstrate Newton’s third law in many different ways using just marbles! This particular marble experiment allows you to differentiate according to your students’ understanding and interest. Keep pushing your experimentation using a different number of marbles or even different sizes, then push it even further by using skateboards described later in these directions.

Learn More: Metro Family

16. Balloon Rocket

With just a string, straw, and latex balloon, your student can experiment with air flow and motion. Take a look at the balloon rocket activity shown at the start of this video. Then, discuss what your student is seeing. Why is it the balloon follows the trajectory they observed? How does air flow affect the balloon’s momentum?

17. DIY Newton’s Cradle

What’s a study of Newton’s law without Newton’s cradle? This super easy DIY Newton’s Cradle allows your student to take ownership over their learning and create a living example of Newton’s third law. There are tons of different ways of building a cradle, but we found this one to be the most user and budget friendly.

Learn More: Babble Dabble Do

More Inertia, Motion, and Momentum Activities

18. tablecloth pull.

Another fun way of experimenting with inertia is by practicing this “magic trick” with your learner. Our advice is to invest in some plasticware for this activity to avoid any broken glass. You may also want to opt for the wax paper alternative described in the post for optimal results.

Learn More: Science World

19. Collision Course

For a quick demonstration of equal and opposite reactions, create this miniature bumper car scenario! Grab two of anything that rolls of equal size. This collision course activity can be done as a brief demo or can be extended to be a more in-depth investigation of Newton’s third law.

Learn More: Science Buddies

20. Baking Soda Powered Boat

Create a baking soda-powered boat in your bathtub or nearby body of water! This experiment allows your learner to look at the different forces at work when their boat takes off.

21. Newton Car

Bring your student’s learning full circle by demonstrating all three of Newton’s laws using Newton’s car lab! This activity takes more time to setup, but the payoff is well worth it.

Learn More: NASA

22. Spinning Marbles

This spinning marbles activity is a great way to first introduce the idea of inertia and then experiment with different types of motion. Of course, be sure to supervise your learner when they use the hot glue!

Learn More: Kids Activities

23. Momentum Machine

Instead of creating a machine, why not become the machine yourself? Have your learner grab a spinning chair and a couple of liter bottles to experiment with momentum. This also creates a great boomerang moment for Instagram!

24. Spaghetti Accelerometer

If your learner is ready to consider acceleration when it comes to the laws of motion, this activity can be an excellent introduction. Although this spaghetti accelerometer requires some power tool work, once the setup is complete, it is a great opportunity to push your learner.

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Science Projects > Physics & Engineering Projects > Newton’s Laws of Motion & Projects  

Newton’s Laws of Motion & Projects

Sir Isaac Newton’s laws of motion form the basic principles of modern physics . When published in 1687, the three laws were unique in that they used mathematical formulas to explain the natural world.

Newton’s Laws Defined

Inertia: newton’s first law of motion.

Newton’s First Law of Motion, also known as the Law of Inertia, states that an object’s velocity will not change unless it is acted on by an outside force.

This means that an object at rest will stay at rest until a force causes it to move.

Likewise, an object in motion will stay in motion until a force acts on it and causes its velocity to change.

For further thought : Why do wheels and tops eventually stop spinning, without appearing to be touched by a force?

Newton’s Second Law of Motion

Newton’s Second Law of Motion states that ‘when an object is acted on by an outside force, the strength of the force equals the mass of the object times the resulting acceleration’.

In other words, the formula to use in calculating force is force = mass x acceleration . Opposing forces such as friction can be added or subtracted from the total to find the amount of force that was really used in a situation.

You can demonstrate this principle by dropping a rock or marble and a wadded-up piece of paper at the same time. They fall at an equal rate—their acceleration is constant due to the force of gravity acting on them.

However, the rock has a much greater force of impact when it hits the ground, because of its greater mass. If you drop the two objects into a dish of sand or flour, you can see how different the force of impact for each object was, based on the crater made in the sand by each one.

Another way to show this is two push off two toy cars or roller skates of equal mass at the same time, giving one of them a harder push than the other. The mass is equal in both, but the acceleration is greater in the one that you exerted greater force on.

Newton’s Third Law of Motion

Stated simply, Newton’s Third Law of Motion says that ‘for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.’

Use a pair of roller skates and a ball to show how this works. What happens when you’re standing still in skates and then throw a ball hard? The force of throwing the ball pushes your skates (and you) in the other direction.

You can also demonstrate this using Newton’s Cradle .

This apparatus consists of steel balls suspended on a frame. When the ball on one end is pulled back and then let go, it swings into the other balls. The ball on the opposite end then swings up with an equal force to the first ball, as shown in the illustration on the right.

The force of the first ball causes and equal and opposite reaction in the ball at the other end.

For further thought : Thrust is an important result of Newton’s Third Law. How does this work in a rocket? Read more about rockets and rocketry .

Newton’s Laws Projects

• Check out our inertia apparatus to understand Newton’s First Law better.
• Check out our dynamic carts to gain a better understanding of Newton’s Second Law.
• Check out our Newton’s Cradle for a classic demonstration of Newton’s Third Law of Motion.

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Newton’s First Law of Motion

Physicists study matter – all of the “stuff” in the universe and how that “stuff” moves. One of the most famous physicists of all time was  Sir Isaac Newton . Sir Isaac is most famous for explaining  gravity , a concept we are so familiar with now it seems obvious to us. He is also famous for explaining how stuff moves in his  Three Laws of Motion . Today we are going to look at  Newton’s First Law of Motion  called  Inertia . This law states that a still object will stay still unless a force pushes or pulls it. A moving object will stay moving unless a force pushes or pulls it.

Gravity and friction are forces that constantly push and pull the “stuff” on earth. So, when we roll a ball, it slowly comes to a stop. On the moon, where there is less gravity and friction, “stuff” floats, and keeps floating. Try one of the experiments below to see Newton’s first law of motion in action.

Experiments:

• Steve Spangler: Egg Drop
• Steve Spangler: Tablecloth Trick
• Steve Spangler: The Coin Drop
• Bill Nye Pages of Inertia
• Hunkin’s Experiments: Inertia Cartoon

Websites, Activites & Printables:

• NASA: Newton’s First Law of Motion
• Why Don’t I Fall Out When a Roller Coaster Goes Upside Down?
• Khan Academy Video: Newton’s First Law of Motion
• IndyPL Blog: Newton’s Second Law of Motion
• IndyPL Blog: Newton’s Third Law of Motion

You can ask a math and science expert for homework help by calling the  Ask Rose Homework Hotline . They provide FREE math and science homework help to Indiana students in grades 6-12.

e-Books and Audiobooks

Use your indyPL Library Card to check out books about Sir Isaac Newton at any of our  locations , or  check out Sir Isaac Newton e-books and audiobooks from OverDrive Kids  right to your device! If you have never used OverDrive before, you can learn how to use e-books  and  learn how to use audiobooks .

Need more help?  Ask a Library staff member at any of our locations  or  call, text or email Ask-a-Librarian . Additionally, the Tinker Station helpline at (317) 275-4500 is also available. It is staffed by device experts who can answer questions about how to read, watch and listen on a PC, tablet or phone.

Newton’s Laws of Motion: The Science Behind How Things Move

Newton’s Laws of Motion explain force and motion, or why things move the way they do. They are great concepts to explore by doing a science experiment. These are especially good science project ideas for kids who like to move! The concepts can often be explained using sports equipment or by understanding how amusement park rides work. These books offer ideas for physics experiments that demonstrate force and motion and the laws that govern them. Some of them provide the background information needed for the report that is often required to go with projects for the science fair.

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Newton's First Law

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Newton's first law of motion is often stated as

An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force .

Two Clauses and a Condition

There are two clauses or parts to this statement - one that predicts the behavior of stationary objects and the other that predicts the behavior of moving objects. The two parts are summarized in the following diagram.

There is an important condition that must be met in order for the first law to be applicable to any given motion. The condition is described by the phrase "... unless acted upon by an unbalanced force." As the long as the forces are not unbalanced - that is, as long as the forces are balanced - the first law of motion applies. This concept of a balanced versus and unbalanced force will be discussed in more detail later in Lesson 1 .

 Suppose that you filled a baking dish to the rim with water and walked around an oval track making an attempt to complete a lap in the least amount of time. The water would have a tendency to spill from the container during specific locations on the track. In general the water spilled when:

• the container was at rest and you attempted to move it
• the container was in motion and you attempted to stop it
• the container was moving in one direction and you attempted to change its direction.

Everyday Applications of Newton's First Law

There are many applications of Newton's first law of motion. Consider some of your experiences in an automobile. Have you ever observed the behavior of coffee in a coffee cup filled to the rim while starting a car from rest or while bringing a car to rest from a state of motion? Coffee "keeps on doing what it is doing." When you accelerate a car from rest, the road provides an unbalanced force on the spinning wheels to push the car forward; yet the coffee (that was at rest) wants to stay at rest. While the car accelerates forward, the coffee remains in the same position; subsequently, the car accelerates out from under the coffee and the coffee spills in your lap. On the other hand, when braking from a state of motion the coffee continues forward with the same speed and in the same direction , ultimately hitting the windshield or the dash. Coffee in motion stays in motion.

There are many more applications of Newton's first law of motion. Several applications are listed below. Perhaps you could think about the law of inertia and provide explanations for each application.

• Blood rushes from your head to your feet while quickly stopping when riding on a descending elevator.
• The head of a hammer can be tightened onto the wooden handle by banging the bottom of the handle against a hard surface.
• A brick is painlessly broken over the hand of a physics teacher by slamming it with a hammer. (CAUTION: do not attempt this at home!)
• To dislodge ketchup from the bottom of a ketchup bottle, it is often turned upside down and thrusted downward at high speeds and then abruptly halted.
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• While riding a skateboard (or wagon or bicycle), you fly forward off the board when hitting a curb or rock or other object that abruptly halts the motion of the skateboard.

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What Are Newton's Laws of Motion?

Newton's First, Second and Third Laws of Motion

Getty Images / Dmitrii Guzhanin 

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Newton's Laws of Motion help us understand how objects behave when standing still; when moving, and when forces act upon them. There are three laws of motion. Here is a description of Sir Isaac Newton's Laws of Motion and a summary of what they mean.

Newton's First Law of Motion

Newton's First Law of Motion states that an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless an external force acts upon it. Similarly, if the object is at rest, it will remain unless an unbalanced force acts upon it. Newton's First Law of Motion is also known as the Law of Inertia .

What Newton's First Law is saying is that objects behave predictably. If a ball is sitting on your table, it isn't going to start rolling or fall off the table unless a force acts upon it to cause it to do so. Moving objects don't change their direction unless a force causes them to move from their path.

As you know, if you slide a block across a table, it eventually stops rather than continuing forever. This is because the frictional force opposes the continued movement. If you throw a ball out in space, there is much less resistance. The ball will continue onward for a much greater distance.

Newton's Second Law of Motion

Newton's Second Law of Motion states that when a force acts on an object, it will cause the object to accelerate. The larger the object's mass, the greater the force will need to be to cause it to accelerate. This Law may be written as force = mass x acceleration or:

F = m * a

Another way to state the Second Law is to say it takes more force to move a heavy object than it does to move a light object. Simple, right? The law also explains deceleration or slowing down. You can think of deceleration as acceleration with a negative sign on it. For example, a ball rolling down a hill moves faster or accelerates as gravity acts on it in the same direction as the motion (acceleration is positive). If a ball is rolled up a hill, the force of gravity acts on it in the opposite direction of the motion (acceleration is negative or the ball decelerates).

Newton's Third Law of Motion

Newton's Third Law of Motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

This means that pushing on an object causes that object to push back against you, the same amount but in the opposite direction. For example, when you are standing on the ground, you are pushing down on the Earth with the same magnitude of force it is pushing back up at you.

History of Newton's Laws of Motion

Sir Isaac Newton introduced the three Newton's laws of motion in 1687 in his book entitled "Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica" (or simply "The Principia"). The same book also discussed the theory of gravity . This one volume described the main rules still used in classical mechanics today.

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Newton’s first law: the law of inertia

• Newton’s second law: F = ma
• Newton’s third law: the law of action and reaction
• Influence of Newton’s laws

What are Newton’s laws of motion?

• What is Isaac Newton most famous for?
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Newton’s laws of motion

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Newton’s laws of motion relate an object’s motion to the forces acting on it. In the first law, an object will not change its motion unless a force acts on it. In the second law, the force on an object is equal to its mass times its acceleration. In the third law, when two objects interact, they apply forces to each other of equal magnitude and opposite direction.

Why are Newton’s laws of motion important?

Newton’s laws of motion are important because they are the foundation of classical mechanics, one of the main branches of physics . Mechanics is the study of how objects move or do not move when forces act upon them.

Newton’s laws of motion , three statements describing the relations between the forces acting on a body and the motion of the body, first formulated by English physicist and mathematician Isaac Newton , which are the foundation of classical mechanics .

Newton’s first law states that if a body is at rest or moving at a constant speed in a straight line, it will remain at rest or keep moving in a straight line at constant speed unless it is acted upon by a force . In fact, in classical Newtonian mechanics, there is no important distinction between rest and uniform motion in a straight line; they may be regarded as the same state of motion seen by different observers, one moving at the same velocity as the particle and the other moving at constant velocity with respect to the particle. This postulate is known as the law of inertia .

The law of inertia was first formulated by Galileo Galilei for horizontal motion on Earth and was later generalized by René Descartes . Although the principle of inertia is the starting point and the fundamental assumption of classical mechanics, it is less than intuitively obvious to the untrained eye. In Aristotelian mechanics and in ordinary experience, objects that are not being pushed tend to come to rest. The law of inertia was deduced by Galileo from his experiments with balls rolling down inclined planes.

For Galileo, the principle of inertia was fundamental to his central scientific task: he had to explain how is it possible that if Earth is really spinning on its axis and orbiting the Sun, we do not sense that motion. The principle of inertia helps to provide the answer: since we are in motion together with Earth and our natural tendency is to retain that motion, Earth appears to us to be at rest. Thus, the principle of inertia, far from being a statement of the obvious, was once a central issue of scientific contention . By the time Newton had sorted out all the details, it was possible to accurately account for the small deviations from this picture caused by the fact that the motion of Earth’s surface is not uniform motion in a straight line (the effects of rotational motion are discussed below). In the Newtonian formulation, the common observation that bodies that are not pushed tend to come to rest is attributed to the fact that they have unbalanced forces acting on them, such as friction and air resistance.

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• 00:00 Overview
• 01:04 The Laws of Motion
• 03:57 Set-up
• 05:40 Collision Between Carts of Equal Mass
• 06:48 Collisions Between Carts of Unequal Mass
• 08:33 Applications
• 09:51 Summary

Newton’s Laws of Motion

Source: Andrew Duffy, PhD, Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, MA

This experiment examines at various situations involving two interacting objects.

First, the experiment examines the forces that two objects apply to one another while they collide. The objects are wheeled carts that have variable masses. The purpose of this experiment is to discover when the force the first cart exerts on the other is the same magnitude as the force the second cart exerts back on the first, as well as when these two forces have different magnitudes.

Second, it examines the forces that two objects exert on one another when one cart is pushing or pulling the second one. Again, the focus is on exploring the situations in which the two forces have the same magnitude and in which they have different magnitudes.

The primary goal of this experiment is to explore Newton's third law.

The apparatus consists of two carts, each with a force sensor mounted on top ( Figure 1 ). The force sensors are connected to a computer via a dedicated computer interface. Each force sensor measures the force exerted upon it by the other force sensor during the collision or the push/pull situation.

1. Collision Situations

• Screw a rubber bumper ( Figure 1 ) into each force sensor.
• Set each force sensor on the 50-N setting.
• Zero the force sensors before each trial by pushing the "Zero" button next to the green arrow that starts data collection.
• Push in on the force sensor mounted on the right of the cart; this should result in a positive force reading. Push in on the force sensor mounted on the left of the cart; this should result in a negative force reading.
• If both are wrong, simply reverse the position of the cart.
• If only one is wrong, go to the "Experiment menu" and select "Setup Sensors." Choose the appropriate force sensor and select "Reverse Direction."
• The first collision involves carts of equal mass. Designate one cart to be stationary prior to the collision. The other cart will be given an initial velocity toward the stationary cart so that the carts collide.
• Hit the "Collect" button (the green arrow) before pushing one cart toward the other. Give one cart a small shove, release the cart, and observe the collision. Peak force values between about 8 and 20 N should be observed in a typical trial. Adjust the push if the peak force values are much smaller than or much larger than this range.
• If the graphs do not appear, reverse the triggering.
• After hitting the "Collect" button, no data is actually recorded until one of the force sensors records a value above (or below) a certain trigger level. However, if the trigger level is set to a positive value and the force sensor is only giving negative force values, or vice versa, the computer will never receive the signal telling it to record data.
• To check, or reverse, the trigger setting, press the "Data Collection" icon (immediately to the left of the "Zero" button) and select the "Triggering" tab.
• In the second collision, the stationary cart should have 2-3 times the mass of the cart that is moving prior to the collision. To achieve this, add one or more weights to the stationary cart. Repeat the process (see the steps below).
• Designate the higher-mass cart to be stationary prior to the collision.
• Hit the "Collect" button and push the lower-mass cart toward the higher-mass cart.
• The computer will display the two "force vs. time" graphs.

In the third collision, the cart that moves prior to the collision should have 2-3 times the mass of the stationary cart. Achieve this by transferring the extra weight(s) from one cart to the other. Repeat the process of carrying out the collision and collecting the data.

2. Pushing and Pulling Situations

• Replace the rubber bumpers on each force sensor with hooks.
• Hook the carts together to allow one cart to push or pull the other cart.
• Reverse the triggering condition, as described in step 1.8.
• Start with carts of equal mass.
• Hit the "Collect" button.
• Either pull or push one of the carts so that it pulls or pushes the other cart, respectively, or rock it back and forth so that there both pulling and pushing occur.
• Record the "force vs. time" data for this pushing/pulling scenario.
• Record the "force vs. time" data in this pushing/pulling scenario.

Newton’s laws of motion are the basis for classical mechanics and describe the relationship between an object and the forces acting upon it.

For example, when a rocket is at rest on the launchpad before launch, the rocket and the ground exert equal-and-opposite forces on one another. To take off, or when the rocket is in space, the expanding gas from the burning fuel pushes against the rocket and propels it forward. Less apparent, however, is that the rocket pushes against the gas at the same time. These simple phenomena obey Newton’s laws of motion, though the forces at work may not be obvious because forces are not always visible.

This video will introduce the basics of Newton’s laws of motion, and then demonstrate the concept through a series of experiments measuring the forces between two wheeled carts in various situations.

Newton’s laws of motion consist of three key laws. The first law is the most simple, and states that an object at rest stays at rest, unless acted upon by a force. Similarly, an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by a force. Specifically, if the net forces on the object are zero, the velocity of the object is constant, whether the velocity is zero or not. However, an applied force, such as kicking the ball or hitting the wall, causes the velocity of the object to change.

Newton’s second law states that the rate of change of an objects velocity, called acceleration, is directly proportional to the force applied to it. The proportionality factor is the mass of the object itself.

In other words, if an object is accelerating, there is a net force on it. This law is consistent with the first law, where the rate of change of an object’s velocity-its acceleration- is zero when there is no net force applied.

Finally, Newton’s third law states that the forces of two objects acting upon each other are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction

This behavior is often hard to understand. For example, when two objects of different masses collide, it is often assumed that the more massive object exerts a larger force than the less massive object. However, the forces are equal and opposite .

Newton’s third law is commonly expressed with the phrase, “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” To be specific, the forces between two interacting objects are called “action-reaction pairs,” which are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.

But the responses of the objects-that is, their accelerations-may not be equal. This is because acceleration is inversely proportional to mass according to Newton’s second law.

Consider what happens when a very large truck collides with a very small car. If action and reaction refer to the impact forces between them, then indeed the action does produce an equal and opposite reaction. But because of the significant differences in masses between truck and car, the effects of these forces are very different. The car rebounds catastrophically while the much more massive truck hardly changes course.

Now that the principles of Newton’s laws of motion have been presented, let’s take a look at the behavior of moving objects, and relate their behavior to Newton’s third law of motion.

The following experiments use two wheeled carts, which slide on a long, low friction track.

Each cart is equipped with a force sensor connected to a computer interface for recording data. Each sensor is positioned to strike the sensor of the other cart during a collision, or to push or pull on the sensor of the other cart as they slide on the track.

Before starting the collision experiments, the force sensors must be set up for impact and configured for the expected level of force. First, screw a rubber bumper onto the plunger of each force sensor. Locate the slide switch on top of the force sensor. Set this switch to the 50 Newton position for each sensor.

The “Collect” button, which looks like a green arrow, starts data collection. Before each experiment, press the button next to this green arrow to zero the force sensor.

Zero both force sensors then check them to make sure the positive direction for each is defined to the right. Push in the sensor with the plunger that points right. The force reading should be positive.

Push in the sensor with the plunger that points left. The force reading should be negative. If both force readings are wrong, then reverse the positions of the carts.

If only one reading is wrong, then go to the “Experiment” menu, and select “Setup Sensors.” Choose the appropriate force sensor and select “Reverse Direction.”

After the force sensors have been configured correctly, the apparatus is ready for the first experiment, which uses carts of equal mass. Choose one cart to be stationary at the start of the test.

Zero both force sensors then press the “Collect” button to start data recording. Push and release the other cart so it slides on its own and collides with the stationary cart.

After impact, the computer displays a plot of the “force vs. time” recorded by each sensor. Magnitudes of peak force should be between 8 and 20 Newtons. If the peak force is outside this range, then repeat the experiment and adjust how hard the cart is pushed.

When carts with equal mass collide, this plot shows that the forces they experience are equal and opposite. Because acceleration equals force divided by mass, each cart accelerates with the same magnitude, but in opposite directions.

The second collision experiment repeats the first experiment but with carts of unequal mass. Choose one cart to be stationary and load it with one or more weights so it has 2 to 3 times the mass of the moving cart.

Zero both force sensors, press the “Collect” button and repeat the collision experiment by pushing the cart without weights into the weighted cart

When the less massive moving cart collides with the more massive, stationary one, they rebound with very different speeds. Despite appearances, the magnitudes of the forces are actually equal, as the plots clearly show. This behavior may be confusing but it is because the less massive cart experiences greater acceleration than the more massive one, again because acceleration equals force divided by mass.

Next, transfer the weights from the stationary cart to the moving cart to reverse the roles of the carts. Repeat the experiment with the moving cart being more massive and the stationary cart being less massive. Zero both force sensors, and press the “Collect” button. Repeat the experiment by pushing the weighted cart into the un-weighted one.

As with the previous experiment, the two carts rebound with very different speeds, because of their different masses. However, the impact forces still have equal magnitudes. So, regardless of whether the carts have equal or different masses, the collision forces are always equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.

Newton’s third law of motion applies not only to collisions, but also to all situations where two objects interact.

Newton’s third law also applies to the pushing and pulling interactions between two objects. To examine this phenomenon, the cart experiment was modified by replacing the rubber bumpers on the force sensors with hooks, and then hooking the carts together. The triggering condition was also reversed in the data collection software.

When carts of equal mass pushed and pulled the other, the forces were equal and opposite, despite the changing direction of motion. When two carts of unequal mass were pushed and pulled the phenomenon still holds true.

Physicists trying to understand planet formation often study collisions. In this example, dust particles were prepared to simulate collisions in the early solar system. The particles were dropped, and their collision recorded.

The colliding particles exerted forces against each other, which were equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. When both objects remained intact, the impact forces caused them to rebound.

You’ve just watched JoVE’s introduction to Newton’s laws of motion. You should now understand the basics of the three laws, how they describe motion and forces on objects. Thanks for watching!

Newton's third law states that whenever two objects interact, the second object exerts a force on the first object that is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the force the first object exerts on the second. This is simple to state, but it can be hard to accept. For example, it is often assumed that the force a larger object exerts on a smaller object is larger than the force the smaller object exerts back on the larger object.

Applications and Summary

The concept addressed in this experiment, namely that, in all interactions, the force one object applies to another is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the force applied by the second object back on the first, has many applications. For example, (1) the gravitational force the Sun applies to the Earth is equal and opposite to the gravitational force the Earth applies to the Sun. (2) The gravitational force the Earth applies to the Moon is equal and opposite to the gravitational force the Moon applies to the Earth. (3) The gravitational force the Earth exerts on an apple is equal and opposite to the gravitational force the apple applies to the Earth. (4) In a collision, such as that between a car and a truck on the street or that between two football players, the forces are always equal and opposite, no matter how the masses compare. (5) When a person stands on a floor or sits on a chair, the force exerted on that person by the floor or the chair is equal and opposite to the force the person exerts on the floor or chair.

This behavior is often hard to understand. For example, when two objects of different masses collide, it is often assumed that the more massive object exerts a larger force than the less massive object. However, the forces are equal and opposite.

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What are Isaac Newton’s Laws of Motion?

May 3, 2021 By Emma Vanstone Leave a Comment

Isaac Newton’s laws of motion explain the relationship between an object and the forces acting on it. The laws might seem very obvious today, but when Isaac Newton was alive, they were revolutionary and formed the basis of modern physics. Isaac Newton built on ideas from Galileo Galilei, Jean Richer and Rene Descartes. It is also said that Edmund Halley convinced Isaac Newton to write Principia .

Newton recorded his ideas about the laws of motion and gravity in a book called Principia .

A force is anything that can change the motion of an object. When you throw a ball, you exert a force on it in a specific direction which is the direction in which it moves. The harder you throw, the further the ball travels as a bigger force is acting on it.

What are Newton’s Laws of Motion?

What is newton’s first law.

An object at rest will remain at rest.

An object in motion will keep moving with the same speed and in the same direction unless another force acts on it.

Basically, that means a motionless object will stay motionless unless a force acts on it. Imagine a toy car on the floor; it will only move if someone pushes it.

If the forces acting on a body are balanced, it will move at a constant velocity.

Experiments to Demonstrate Newton’s First Law

A rocket mouse is a fantastic demonstration of Newton’s First Law . The cone on the milk bottle is at rest until the force of air being pushed out of the milk bottle ( when you squeeze it ) sends the cone flying into the air.

Newton’s First Law is sometimes referred to as the Law of Inertia . This means that if an object is moving in a straight line, it will continue moving in a straight line unless a force acts on it.

An excellent way to demonstrate this is with a simple inertia experiment .

If you pull the yellow card fast enough, the black column will fall to the side, and the lemon will fall in a straight line into the glass! The video below shows this in action.

What about friction?

We know that, generally, objects don’t continue moving forever because they are slowed down by friction. For example, a ball rolling on a carpet slows down much faster than a ball rolling on a smooth floor, as there is more friction between a ball on a rough surface than on a smooth surface. You can demonstrate this by making a friction ramp .

In space where there is no friction from air, objects keep moving for much longer.

Newton’s Second Law

Newton’s Second Law is all about the relationship between the force applied to a body and the change in its momentum or acceleration.

Force is equal to mass times acceleration

F – force applied ( N )

a – Acceleration (m/s 2 )

m – Mass ( kg )

What does that mean? Newton’s Second Law states that force is equal to mass times acceleration. A change in momentum is proportional to the change in the force applied.

Imagine kicking a light plastic football and a heavy football. Moving the heavier ball the same distance as the lighter ball takes a lot more force.

Newton’s Third Law

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

Newton’s Third Law states that for every action, there is always an equal and opposite reaction. When one body acts on another, it experiences an equal and opposite reaction from the other body.

If you were to push an object, the object pushes back against you, and if you stop pushing, the force back against you stops as well.

Imagine a rocket launching. The downward thrust created by the engine is the action, and the reaction is an opposite upward thrust forcing the rocket into the air.

A rocket will continue moving upwards as long as there is a resultant upwards force. If the upwards thrust force ceased, the resultant force would be downward.

Experiments to demonstrate all three of Newton’s Laws of Motion

A film canister rocket or mini bottle rocket is great for demonstrating all three of Newton’s Laws.

Newton’s First Law

The film canister remains motionless unless something is added to create a force ( usually an effervescent vitamin tablet and water ).

Acceleration is affected by the mass of an object. If you increase the mass of the film canister, you’ll find it moves more slowly and doesn’t fly as high.

The downward force on the film canister lid creates an opposite upwards force on the body of the canister, which flies up into the air.

More experiments to demonstrate forces

Think about some of the difficulties astronauts experience in space with this hands on activity about docking with the ISS .

Find out more about Isaac Newton , Galileo and other famous scientists.

Learn about gravity with straw rockets, magnets and water bottles in this selection of easy gravity experiments .

Finally, try one of these easy investigations for learning about forces and motion .

Last Updated on January 12, 2023 by Emma Vanstone

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These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

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• Mechanics (Physics): The Study of Motion.

How To Demonstrate Newton's Laws of Motion

Kinetic Energy Experiments for Kids

Sir Isaac Newton developed three laws of motion. The first law of inertia says that an object’s speed will not change unless something makes it change. The second law: the strength of the force equals the mass of the object times the resulting acceleration. Finally, the third law says that for every action there is a reaction. In some classes, these laws are taught by having the students memorize the words, instead of lecturing students or children about these somewhat complex laws. Here are a few ways to demonstrate the laws and gain a better understanding.

Newton's First Law of Motion

Place the hard boiled egg on its side and spin it. Put your finger on it gently while it is still spinning in order to stop it. Remove your finger when it stops.

Place the raw egg on its side and spin it. Place your finger gently on the egg until it stops. Once you remove your finger, the egg should start to spin again. The liquid inside the egg has not stopped so it will continue to spin until enough force is applied.

Push an empty shopping cart and stop it. Then push a loaded shopping cart and stop it. It takes more effort to push the loaded cart than an empty one.

Newton's Second Law of Motion

Drop a rock or marble and a wadded-up piece of paper at the same time. They fall at the same rate of speed, but the rock's mass is greater so it hits with greater force.

Push the roller skates or toy cars at the same time.

Push one harder than the other. One had greater force applied to it so it moves faster.

Newton's Third Law of Motion

Pull one ball or swing back and let it go.

It will swing into the other balls making the ball at the other end swing.

Explain how this represents an equal and opposite reaction.

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About the Author

Rob Hildegard has more than 25 years of ghostwriting experience. His credits include hard backed books and numerous academic articles. Hildegard's writing preferences and specialties include health issues as they relate to men, legal issues and sports. His work has appeared on eZines and eHow.

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Newton’s Laws Experiment

This post may contain affiliate links.

I have a little lesson on Isaac Newton’s Laws of Motion today.  Plus a cool experiment to go along with it called Gravity Beads.

We get the Steve Spangler Science kits in the mail each month. Its a happy mail day when they come. They are a great addition to our science lessons and my kids just have so much fun with them.  (Not a sponsored post, just something we really love.) This month’s box was all about inertia and Newton’s laws of motion. Cool stuff.  The ultimate favorite of this month’s kit were the gravity beads. But first, a little refresher on motion & gravity for you!

What are Newton’s Laws of Motion & Gravity?

Newton’s First Law states that an object at rest will remain at rest and an object in motion will remain in motion (unless acted upon by force). Another important term is Inertia.   Inertia is the tendency of a body to resist a change in motion or rest.

Newton’s Second Law states that force is equal to the mass of the object times its acceleration or F= MA.  A force is a push or a pull, and mass is a measurement of the amount of matter the object has. Acceleration measures how fast the velocity (speed with direction) changes.  Sobasically it means that you need a force to move an object. The bigger the mass, the greater the force you will need.

Newton’s Third Law says that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Simple? kinda.

Newton’s Law of Gravity says that every particle attracts every other particle in the universe with a force which is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. Hu?

Simpler terms: Gravity is a force that tries to pull two objects toward each other. Anything which has mass also has a gravitational pull equal to its mass. The more mass an object has, the stronger its gravitational pull is. Gravity is what keeps you on the ground and what makes things to fall to the ground.

How to Do the Gravity Bead Experiment

Watch to see what it is first. 🙂

So, now that you have a basic grasp of Newton’s laws, (you probably already learned all of this in your physics class in high school right?) you will better be bale to understand how this gravity bead experiment works. It’s crazy cool and really just looks like magic, but it’s physics! This is all based on Inertia and the laws of motion!

All you need is a long strand of beads and a large cup. Really, that’s it!  These beads are like the cheap plastic Mardi Gras ones. You can get them anywhere. BUT, the difference here is the length of the strand. This strand is about 50 feet long. If you are going for cost effective, you could try to make our own with the regular beads- just glue many strands together. I am not sure whether it would really be cheaper or not, though.  If you are going for ease, pick up this long strand already done for you.

Since posting this, I have seen a lot of people say they see this happen with their Christmas bead garlands!  So here is a bead garland that is 26 ft. long . Or maybe you have some at home already?!

It’s best to use a large clear cup or glass so you can watch the process. Put the beads into the cup in circular rows so they do not get tangled up while coming back out. This is really important!

Leave the end of the strand hanging hanging out of the top of the cup.  If you make your own beads you will want to do something to distinguish the ends from the other parts of the strands- add a piece of tape to make it easy to find the ends.

When you are ready, give the strand of beads a little tug. Hold the cup high off the ground, so there is more of a pull downward. They will literally start moving and continue moving until the beads run out.

The coolest thing to do is to take a video of it in slow motion so you can really see what the movements look like.  You’ll see in our video that the beads move upward in an arc before going down. This is because of the initial pull you give it. It continues in that upward motion until the force of gravity brings it downward.  Awesome, right?!

Here’s a tip : Let the beads collect into another cup, then you can keep it going again and again!

Let us know if you try it out!

Want another cool gravity experiment?

Try this Gravity Spinner !

Or try one of my many other STEM projects for kids!

Former school teacher turned homeschool mom of 4 kids. Loves creating awesome hands-on creative learning ideas to make learning engaging and memorable for all kids!

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We inadvertently do this experiment every Christmas, when our bead garland leaps out of its cylindrical container ! Love it!

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Science Fun

Force And Motion Science Experiments

Easy motion science experiments you can do at home! Click on the experiment image or the view experiment link below for each experiment on this page to see the materials needed and procedure. Have fun trying these experiments at home or use them for SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT IDEAS.

Strength Test:

Magic Ball:

Observe Centrifugal Force In Action

Can A Light Weight Lift A Heavy Weight?:

Coin In A Cup:

Observing Inertia:

Coin Flick:

Magically Remove The Bottom Coin

Hammer Head:

Seemingly Defy Gravity

Galileo’s Swinging Strings:

Use Straws To Reduce Friction:

Find A Hard Boiled Egg:

Use Spinning Science In This Experiment

Unbreakable Thread:

Magic Napkin:

Cotton Ball Catapult:

Rapid Rubber Band Launcher:

Send A Bunch Of Rubber Bands Flying

Water Balloon Physics:

Centrifugal Force: 

Stab A Potato:

Traveling Toothpicks:

Surface Tension And Toothpicks Do Mix

Balance A House On Your Finger:

Ruler Race:

Easy Film Canister Rocket:

Rocket Balloon Blast:

This Balloon Really Moves

Mini Marshmallow Launcher:

Build Your Own Balance Buddy:

• Introduction To Motion
• Laws Of Motion

Newton's Laws of Motion

This article will go through Sir Isaac Newton’s Laws of Motion, which revolutionised our understanding of the physical world centuries ago. This article explores Newton’s three laws and provides a deep understanding of their implications. Starting with Newton’s First Law of Motion, also known as the Law of Inertia, we delve into how objects behave when at rest or in uniform motion. Moving on to Newton’s Second Law of Motion, we unravel the relationship between mass, acceleration and external forces. Next, we explore Newton’s Third Law of Motion, shedding light on the concept of action and reaction. A concise summary of Newton’s laws offers a recap of the key concepts, while numerical examples in the Laws of Motion Numericals section demonstrate practical applications. Finally, our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section covers additional queries, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of Newton’s Laws of Motion.

Newton’s First Law of Motion

Newton’s First Law of Motion, also known as the Law of Inertia, is a fundamental principle that describes the behaviour of objects in the absence of external influences. The term “Law of Inertia” emphasizes the concept of inertia, which refers to the property of massive objects to resist changes in their state of motion. This idea stems from the observation that objects naturally maintain their current state of rest or motion, resisting any changes unless acted upon by an external force.

By naming the first law of motion the “Law of Inertia,” Newton highlighted this inherent property of objects and laid the groundwork for understanding how forces can cause changes in motion. Newton’s first law of motion states that objects persist in their current state of motion unless compelled to do otherwise by an external force. Whether an object is at rest or in uniform motion, it will continue in that state unless a net external force acts upon it.

One crucial insight provided by Newton’s First Law is that the object will maintain a constant velocity in the absence of a net force resulting from unbalanced forces acting on an object. If the object is already in motion, it will continue moving at the same speed and direction. Likewise, if the object is at rest, it will remain stationary. However, introducing an additional external force will cause the object’s velocity to change, responding to the magnitude and direction of the force applied.

Understanding Newton’s First Law of Motion sets the stage for a deeper exploration of the subsequent laws that govern the complexities of motion. By comprehending this fundamental principle, we gain crucial insights into how objects behave independently and how external forces influence their motion. The first law of motion provides a strong foundation for further understanding the dynamics and behaviour of objects in the physical world.

Newton’s Second Law of Motion

This section will explore Newton’s Second Law of Motion, which provides a deeper understanding of how bodies respond to external forces.

The second law of motion describes the relationship between the force acting on a body and the resulting acceleration. According to Newton’s second law, the force acting on an object is equal to the product of its mass and acceleration.

Mathematically, we express Newton’s Second Law as follows:

Here, F represents the force, m is the object’s mass and a is the acceleration produced. This equation reveals that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the magnitude of the net force applied in the same direction as the force and inversely proportional to the object’s mass.

By understanding Newton’s Second Law, we can determine how much an object will accelerate when subjected to a specific net force. The equation highlights the intricate relationship between force, mass, and acceleration, providing a quantitative framework for analysing the dynamics of objects in motion.

In the second law equation, a proportionality constant is represented by the letter “k.” When using the SI unit system, this constant is equal to 1. Therefore, the final expression simplifies to:

The concise and powerful expression of Newton’s Second Law showcases the fundamental principle that governs the relationship between force and acceleration in physics. With this law, we gain a quantitative understanding of how external forces impact the motion of objects based on their mass and the resulting acceleration they experience.

By exploring Newton’s Second Law of Motion , we deepen our insights into the mechanics of motion, setting the stage for further exploration of the principles that govern the complexities of physical phenomena.

Newton’s Third Law of Motion

This section will discuss Newton’s Third Law of Motion, revealing a fascinating relationship between forces exerted by interacting bodies.

Newton’s Third Law of Motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When two bodies interact, they apply forces on each other that are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. This law highlights the concept that forces always occur in pairs.

To illustrate this principle, consider the example of a book resting on a table. As the book applies a downward force equal to its weight on the table, the table, in turn, exerts an equal and opposite force on the book. This occurs because the book slightly deforms the table’s surface, causing the table to push back on the book, much like a compressed spring releasing its energy.

This third law of motion has profound implications, including conserving momentum. Momentum is a property of moving objects determined by an object’s mass and velocity. According to Newton’s third law, the total momentum of an isolated system remains constant. This means that in any interaction, the total momentum before and after the interaction remains the same, regardless of the forces involved.

Understanding Newton’s third law of motion deepens our comprehension of the interconnectedness and equilibrium within the physical world. It provides a framework for analysing and predicting the effects of forces in various scenarios, from everyday interactions to complex mechanical systems.

As we delve further into the subsequent sections on the laws of motion, we will continue building upon the foundational principles of inertia, force, and action-reaction relationships.

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Explaining Everyday Phenomena with Newton’s Laws of Motion

Jack wonders why his wallet falls from the passenger seat to the floor while driving to work. How can we explain this phenomenon using physics?

We can explain this to Jack using Newton’s first law of motion. Due to its inertia, the wallet tends to maintain its state of motion. As the car accelerates or decelerates, the wallet continues moving forward with the same velocity before the car’s motion changes. However, when the car suddenly stops or changes direction, an external force (in this case, the force exerted by the car floor) acts on the wallet, causing it to slide off the seat and onto the floor. This is because the wallet resists changes in its state of motion, as Newton’s first law of motion described.

Using Newton’s laws, how can we explain the magician’s ability to pull a tablecloth from underneath dishes?

Newton’s first law of motion best explains the magician’s trick of pulling a tablecloth from underneath dishes. The magician carefully applies a negligible horizontal force to the tablecloth while quickly pulling it. According to Newton’s first law, objects at rest (the dishes and glasses) tend to remain in their state of motion or rest unless acted upon by an external force. In this case, the sudden pull of the tablecloth applies a minimal frictional force on the dishes and glasses. Since the tablecloth is made extremely slippery, it reduces the friction between the tablecloth and the dishes, allowing them to remain undisturbed and stay in their original state of motion or rest.

We gain insights into various phenomena by understanding and applying Newton’s laws of motion. We can explain seemingly perplexing situations like the movement of objects in a moving car or the magician’s illusionary tricks involving objects on a table. These laws provide a solid foundation for comprehending the principles governing motion in our everyday lives.

Laws of Motion Summary

This section presents a visual summary of Newton’s Laws of Motion in the form of a flowchart. The flowchart provides an easy and digestible format to remember the key principles underlying the three laws of motion.

The flowchart highlights the three laws of motion established by Sir Isaac Newton:

• Newton’s First Law of Motion: The law of inertia states that an object at rest will remain at rest, and an object in motion will continue moving with a constant velocity, unless acted upon by an external force.
• Newton’s Second Law of Motion: This law relates the force acting on an object to its mass and acceleration. The force is equal to the product of mass and acceleration, where acceleration is the rate of change of velocity.
• Newton’s Third Law of Motion: The law of action and reaction states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When one body exerts a force on another body, the second body simultaneously exerts a force of the same magnitude but in the opposite direction on the first body.

By referring to this flowchart, you can quickly grasp the fundamental principles of Newton’s Laws of Motion and understand how they govern the behaviour of objects in various scenarios. It serves as a useful tool for remembering Newton’s three laws of motion.

Laws of Motion Numericals

1. suppose a bike with a rider on it having a total mass of 63 kg brakes and reduces its velocity from 8.5 m/s to 0 m/s in 3.0 seconds. what is the magnitude of the braking force.

The combined mass of the rider and the bike = 63 kg Initial Velocity = 8.5 m/s Final Velocity = 0 m/s The time in which the bike stops = 3 s

The net force acting on the body equals the rate of change of an object’s momentum.

The momentum of a body with mass m and velocity v is given by  p = mv

Hence, the change in momentum of the bike is given by

Hence, the net force acting on the bike is given by

Substituting the value, we get

The magnitude of the braking force is -178.5 N.

2. Calculate the net force required to give an automobile of mass 1600 kg an acceleration of 4.5 m/s 2 .

We calculate the force using the following formula.

Substituting the values in the equation, we get

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

Who discovered the three laws of motion, why are the laws of motion important, what are newton’s laws of motion all about, what is the difference between newton’s laws of motion and kepler’s laws of motion, what are some daily life examples of newton’s 1st, 2nd and 3rd laws of motion.

• The motion of a ball falling through the atmosphere or a model rocket being launched up into the atmosphere are both excellent examples of Newton’s 1st law.
• Riding a bicycle is an excellent example of Newton’s 2nd law. In this example, the bicycle is the mass. The leg muscles pushing on the pedals of the bicycle is the force.
• You hit a wall with a certain amount of force, and the wall returns that same amount of force. This is an example of Newton’s 3rd law.

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Introduction to Dynamics: Newton’s Laws of Motion

Chapter outline.

Motion draws our attention. Motion itself can be beautiful, causing us to marvel at the forces needed to achieve spectacular motion, such as that of a dolphin jumping out of the water, or a pole vaulter, or the flight of a bird, or the orbit of a satellite. The study of motion is kinematics, but kinematics only describes the way objects move—their velocity and their acceleration. Dynamics considers the forces that affect the motion of moving objects and systems. Newton’s laws of motion are the foundation of dynamics. These laws provide an example of the breadth and simplicity of principles under which nature functions. They are also universal laws in that they apply to similar situations on Earth as well as in space.

Isaac Newton’s (1642–1727) laws of motion were just one part of the monumental work that has made him legendary. The development of Newton’s laws marks the transition from the Renaissance into the modern era. This transition was characterized by a revolutionary change in the way people thought about the physical universe. For many centuries natural philosophers had debated the nature of the universe based largely on certain rules of logic with great weight given to the thoughts of earlier classical philosophers such as Aristotle (384–322 BC). Among the many great thinkers who contributed to this change were Newton and Galileo.

Galileo was instrumental in establishing observation as the absolute determinant of truth, rather than “logical” argument. Galileo’s use of the telescope was his most notable achievement in demonstrating the importance of observation. He discovered moons orbiting Jupiter and made other observations that were inconsistent with certain ancient ideas and religious dogma. For this reason, and because of the manner in which he dealt with those in authority, Galileo was tried by the Inquisition and punished. He spent the final years of his life under a form of house arrest. Because others before Galileo had also made discoveries by observing the nature of the universe, and because repeated observations verified those of Galileo, his work could not be suppressed or denied. After his death, his work was verified by others, and his ideas were eventually accepted by the church and scientific communities.

Galileo also contributed to the formation of what is now called Newton’s first law of motion. Newton made use of the work of his predecessors, which enabled him to develop laws of motion, discover the law of gravity, invent calculus, and make great contributions to the theories of light and color. It is amazing that many of these developments were made with Newton working alone, without the benefit of the usual interactions that take place among scientists today.

It was not until the advent of modern physics early in the 20th century that it was discovered that Newton’s laws of motion produce a good approximation to motion only when the objects are moving at speeds much, much less than the speed of light and when those objects are larger than the size of most molecules (about 10 − 9 m 10 − 9 m in diameter). These constraints define the realm of classical mechanics, as discussed in Introduction to the Nature of Science and Physics . At the beginning of the 20 th century, Albert Einstein (1879–1955) developed the theory of relativity and, along with many other scientists, developed quantum theory. This theory does not have the constraints present in classical physics. All of the situations we consider in this chapter, and all those preceding the introduction of relativity in Special Relativity , are in the realm of classical physics.

Making Connections: Past and Present Philosophy

The importance of observation and the concept of cause and effect were not always so entrenched in human thinking. This realization was a part of the evolution of modern physics from natural philosophy. The achievements of Galileo, Newton, Einstein, and others were key milestones in the history of scientific thought. Most of the scientific theories that are described in this book descended from the work of these scientists.

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• Authors: Paul Peter Urone, Roger Hinrichs
• Publisher/website: OpenStax
• Book title: College Physics 2e
• Publication date: Jul 13, 2022
• Location: Houston, Texas
• Book URL: https://openstax.org/books/college-physics-2e/pages/1-introduction-to-science-and-the-realm-of-physics-physical-quantities-and-units
• Section URL: https://openstax.org/books/college-physics-2e/pages/4-introduction-to-dynamics-newtons-laws-of-motion

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