Chapter 5: Newton's Laws of Motion Flashcards
Week 3
Describe the law of superposition of forces.
The principle of superposition of forces states that the net force acting on an object is the vector sum of all the individual forces acting upon it. This principle applies to systems in which multiple forces are acting on an object simultaneously.
Fnet = F1 + F2 + F3 … + Fn
Here, each force is considered a vector, which means it has both magnitude (size) and direction. When adding forces, you must take into account their directions and magnitudes to determine the resultant force or net force.
Week 3
What is Newton’s first law of motion?
Newton’s first law, also known as the law of inertia, states that an object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an external force.
Newton’s first law is the definition of force.
Week 3
What is Newton’s second law of motion?
Newton’s second law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the force applied and inversely proportional to its mass.
Newton’s second law is the mathematical representation of force.
Week 3
What is Newton’s third law of motion?
Newton’s third law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction between interacting objects or particles.
The forces act on different different bodies in opposite directions.
Both forces cannot act on the same system/object.
Week 3
What is the difference between torque and couples?
Torque is the term used to describe any set of forces that cause rotation.
Torque (τ) = force * distance * sinθ
Torque can result from a force applied anywhere on the object at a certain distance from a pivot. Torque can also result in translational motion.
A couple is a specific type of torque where two equal and opposite forces are applied to an object at different locations, causing a pure rotation without any translational motion.
In summary, torque is an umbrella term for any force that causes rotation, including couples.
