Newton's Laws of Motion
Explore the fundamental laws that govern motion and forces. Visualize how force, mass, and acceleration interact through Newton's revolutionary principles.
Select Newton's Law
Second Law (F = ma)
The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass: Fnet = m × a
Parameters
Physics Data
Key Formulas
Understanding Newton's Laws
1️⃣First Law - Law of Inertia
An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion with constant velocity, unless acted upon by a net external force.
Example: A book on a table remains stationary until you push it. A hockey puck on ice keeps sliding until friction stops it.
2️⃣Second Law - F = ma
The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass.
Formula: Fnet = m × a
Example: Pushing a shopping cart - the harder you push (more force), the faster it accelerates. A heavier cart (more mass) accelerates less with the same force.
3️⃣Third Law - Action-Reaction
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Forces always occur in pairs.
Example: When you jump, you push down on the ground (action), and the ground pushes you up (reaction). When a rocket expels gas downward, the gas pushes the rocket upward.
How to Use This Visualizer
Adjust the mass of the object to see how it affects acceleration (Second Law)
Change the applied force to observe different accelerations
Modify friction coefficient to see how resistance affects motion
Watch the force arrows (vectors) showing applied force, friction, weight, and normal force
Observe how net force determines acceleration: Fnet = Fapplied - ffriction
Real-World Applications
🚗 Vehicle Safety
Seatbelts and airbags work based on the first law - your body wants to keep moving when the car stops suddenly.
🚀 Rocket Propulsion
Rockets use the third law - expelling gas backward creates a reaction force that propels the rocket forward.
⚽ Sports
Kicking a soccer ball demonstrates the second law - the force you apply determines how fast the ball accelerates.
🛹 Friction Control
Ice skating and car brakes both manipulate friction - low friction for gliding, high friction for stopping.
Practice Problems
Problem 1: Calculate Acceleration
A 5 kg box is pushed with a force of 20 N on a frictionless surface. What is its acceleration?
Show Solution
Using F = ma:
20 N = 5 kg × a
a = 20 N / 5 kg
a = 4 m/s²
Problem 2: Net Force with Friction
A 10 kg object is pushed with 50 N. Friction force is 20 N. What is the net force and acceleration?
Show Solution
Net Force = Applied Force - Friction
Fnet = 50 N - 20 N = 30 N
Using F = ma:
30 N = 10 kg × a
a = 3 m/s²