Physics Mechanics: Newton's Laws, Work & Energy Conservation
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Part 1 of 4
1. Newton's Three Laws of Motion
Newton's laws describe how forces affect objects. The first law explains inertia: an object remains at rest or moves with constant velocity unless a net force acts on it.
The second law gives the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration: F = ma. A larger force produces greater acceleration, while a larger mass makes acceleration harder.
The third law states that forces occur in pairs. When object A pushes object B, object B pushes object A with an equal force in the opposite direction.
Worked example
A 5 kg box is pushed with a net force of 20 N. Using F = ma, acceleration is calculated as a = F/m = 20/5 = 4 m/s². The box accelerates at 4 metres per second squared.
1.If net force on an object is zero, its velocity remains constant.
2.An object with greater mass always experiences greater acceleration under the same force.
Exam strategy
If you can explain why the wrong answers are wrong, you know the topic. Remembering the right one only gets you halfway.
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