Force, Mass, and Acceleration Quiz

Force, Mass, and Acceleration

• Newton's second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship between net force, mass, and acceleration of a macroscopic object
• Newton's second law can be used to predict changes in the motion of objects
• If an object on a table is pushed, it moves in the direction of the push
• A less massive object will move more when subjected to the same amount of force as a more massive object
• A force is created when one object pushes or pulls on another
• Multiple forces can act on an object simultaneously, affecting its motion
• Geologists study forces on Earth's surface, including forces causing changes like rockslides

Types of Forces

• Gravitational Force: The force of attraction between objects with mass
• Electromagnetic Force: The force acting between charged particles
• Nuclear Forces: The strongest forces in nature, holding atomic nuclei together
• Inertia: An object's resistance to a change in motion, directly related to its mass
• Newton's Third Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction
• Friction: A force opposing motion
• Centripetal Force: The force needed to keep an object moving in a circular path
• Buoyant Force: The upward force exerted on an object immersed in a fluid
• Tension Force: A pulling force transmitted through a stretched object
• Applied Force: Any force exerted on an object

Rockslides

• Gravity is the primary force causing rocks to slide downhill in a landslide
• Earthquakes can trigger rockslides by causing tremors
• Flowing water can loosen the rocks, contributing to rockslides
• Weathering and erosion impact the stability of rocks and slopes

SEP Developing and Using Models

• Geologists employ models to investigate forces on Earth's surface and predict events like rockslides
• Models of geological features (e.g., sand dunes, mountains) are used to understand and observe cause-and-effect patterns related to forces

Inertia

• Inertia is an object's reluctance to change its state of motion
• Mass measures inertia

Newton's First Law

• Objects remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by a net force.

Force Causes Acceleration

• The more force applied to a chair, the greater its acceleration assuming equal mass
• Force is directly proportional to the acceleration, and inversely proportional to the mass
• $\Sigma F = ma$ (sum of forces equals mass times acceleration).

Independent and Dependent Variables

• Force is the independent variable
• Acceleration is the dependent variable
• Force causes acceleration

CCC Scale, Proportion, and Quantity

• Spaceship with smaller mass will experience greater acceleration with same force
• Acceleration varies inversely with mass

Sample Problem: Mowing the Lawn

• A 52.0 kg lawnmower with a net force of 44.5 N experiences an acceleration of 0.856 m/s²
• $\Sigma F = ma$ is used to calculate acceleration

Law of Acceleration

• The second law of motion states that the net force is equal to the product of the mass and acceleration of the object.
• Mass is the determining factor for the force required to accelerate an object.
• Larger mass necessitates a greater force for equal acceleration.

Momentum

• Momentum is the product of mass and velocity (p = mv)
• Momentum changes over time due to net force
• ΣF = Δp/Δt

Direction Matters

• Momentum is a vector quantity (has both magnitude and direction)

Equivalent Momentums

• Different masses and speeds can result in equivalent momentums.

Representing Forces

• Free-body diagrams display all the forces acting upon an object
• Forces acting internally do not affect an object's external motion
• External forces affect a system's motion

Tug-of-War

• The rope accelerates in the direction of the net force
• The team exerting greater force wins the tug-of-war
• The net force is calculated by summing all forces acting on an object

CCC System Models

• The equation $\Sigma F=F_{BA}-F_{CA}+F_{DA}$ describes the sum of forces acting on a system with three interacting objects.
• Forces from external objects can produce a net force.

SEP Use Mathematics

• Two forces in the same direction are added together to determine the result
• Two forces in opposite directions are subtracted to determine the result

Modeling Force

• Force is balanced in static situations (ΣF = 0)
• Unbalanced force produces acceleration ( ΣF = ma).

SEP Develop and Use a Model

• Moving objects with constant velocity can experience zero net force