Faculty of Technology
Physics I
Lecture Notes
2020-2021 Fall
5- The Laws of Motion
Newton’s First Law
Newton’s first law of motion is sometimes called the law of inertia. It states that:
In the absence of external forces, an object at rest remains at rest and an object in
motion continues in motion with a constant velocity.
In simpler terms, we can say that when no force acts on an object, the acceleration of
the object is zero.
The tendency of an object to resist any attempt to change its velocity is called inertia.
Newton’s Second Law
The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and
inversely proportional to its mass.
The SI unit of force is the Newton.
Note: The magnitude of the attractive force exerted by the Earth, which is known as the
gravitational force, is called the weight of the object.
Newton’s Third Law
If two objects interact, the force exerted by object 1 on object 2 is equal in magnitude
and opposite in direction to the force exerted by object 2 on object 1.
The force that object 1 exerts on object 2 may be called the action force and the force
of object 2 on object 1 the reaction force. The action force is equal in magnitude to the
reaction force and opposite in direction.
Applying Newton’s Laws
Draw a simple diagram of the system. (Free-body
diagram) For systems containing more than one
object, draw separate free-body diagrams for each
object.
Establish convenient coordinate axes for each
object and find the components of the forces along
these axes.
Apply Newton’s second law, ∑F = ma, in component
form.
Solve the component equations for the unknowns.
Example
Two blocks of masses 4 kg and 6 kg connected by a
rope of negligible mass are being dragged by a
horizontal force F as shown in the figure.
Supposing that F = 25 N and the frictions are negligible,
find the tension T and the magnitude of the acceleration
of the system.
Solution
Firstly, we should draw the free-body diagram of the objects;
Example
In the frictionless system shown in the figure, a
horizontal force Fx acts on the 8 kg object.
If 2 kg object accelerate upward with the acceleration of
3 m/s2, find Fx.
(g=10 m/s2)
Solution
Firstly, we should draw the free-body diagram of the objects;
Example
When two objects of unequal mass are hung vertically over a
frictionless pulley of negligible mass, as shown in the figure,
the arrangement is called an Atwood machine.
Find the magnitude of the acceleration of the two objects and
the tension in the lightweight cord.
Solution
Firstly, we should draw the free-body diagram of the objects;
Example
A car of mass m is on an icy driveway inclined at an
angle θ as shown in the figure.
Find the acceleration of the car, assuming that the
driveway is frictionless.
Solution
Firstly, we should draw the free-body diagram of the car;
The car accelerates in x direction;
Example
A ball of mass m1 and a block of mass m2 are
attached by a lightweight cord that passes over
a frictionless pulley of negligible mass as
shown in the figure. The block lies on a
frictionless incline of angle θ.
Find the magnitude of the acceleration of the
two objects and the tension in the cord.
Solution
Firstly, we should draw the free-body diagram of the objects;
Example
The blocks of masses 1 kg and 2 kg in the frictionless
system prepared with massless pulleys are released
from the positions shown in the figure.
Find the accelerations of the blocks and the tension in
the cord.
(g = 10 m/s2)
Solution
Firstly, we should note the relationship between the accelerations of the objects;
Now, lets draw the free-body diagram of the objects;
Forces of Friction
When an object is in motion either on a surface or in a viscous
medium such as air or water, the resistance to the motion is called
the force of friction.
The kind of friction that acts when a body slides over a surface is
called a force of kinetic friction (𝒇𝒌 ).
If you try to slide an object across the floor, it may not move at all
because the floor exerts an equal and opposite force, which is
called the force of static friction (𝒇𝒔 ).
For small applied forces, the magnitude of the force of static friction
equals the magnitude of the applied force.
Forces of Friction
When the magnitude of the applied force exceeds the
magnitude of the maximum force of static friction (it is also
larger than the force of kinetic friction), the object can
accelerate.
The magnitude of the force of static friction between any two surfaces in contact can
have the values;
where 𝜇𝑠 is the coefficient of static friction and n is the magnitude of the normal force.
The magnitude of the force of kinetic friction acting between two surfaces is;
where 𝜇𝑘 is the coefficient of kinetic friction.
The values of 𝜇𝑘 and 𝜇𝑠 depend on the nature of the surfaces, but 𝜇𝑘 is generally less
than 𝜇𝑠 .
Example
A horizontal force of F is exerted on 3 kg object
as shown in the figure. The coefficients of static
and kinetic friction between the object and the
horizontal surface are known to be 0.5 and 0.4.
a) If F = 10 N, find the force of friction acting on
the object.
b) If F = 20 N , find the acceleration of the object.
(g=10 m/s2)
Solution
The maximum value of the force of static friction;
a) Since the force of F is smaller than the maximum value of the force of static friction, the
object will not move.
b) When the object moves, magnitude of the force of kinetic friction acting on it;
Then the acceleration of the object;
Example
A force of magnitude F=20 N is applied to the block as shown in
the figure.
If the coefficient of kinetic friction between the object and the
horizontal surface is 0.3, find the acceleration of the object.
(g = 10 m/s2)
Solution
Firstly, we should draw the free-body diagram of the block;
Now, lets find the magnitude of the friction force;
Example
Two blocks of masses m1=10 kg and m2=20 kg connected by a rope of negligible mass
are being dragged by a horizontal force F=50 N as shown in the figure.
If the coefficient of kinetic friction between the blocks and surface is 0.1, find the
tension T and the magnitude of the acceleration of the system.
Solution
Firstly, we should draw the free-body diagram of the blocks;
Now, lets find the magnitude of the
friction forces;
Finally, replace f1 and f2 values in the equations of * and **;
Example
A hockey puck on a frozen pond is given an initial speed of 20 m/s. If the puck always
remains on the ice and slides 100 m before coming to rest, determine the coefficient of
kinetic friction between the puck and ice.
(g = 10 m/s2)
Solution
Firstly, we should draw the free-body diagram of the puck;
Example
A block of mass m=2 kg slides down with the effect of
horizontal force of F=30 N as shown in the figure.
If the coefficient of kinetic friction between block and vertical
surface is 0.5, find the acceleration of the block.
(g = 10 m/s2)
Solution
Firstly, we should draw the free-body diagram of the block;
Example
A block of mass 5 kg is placed on another block of mass 10 kg and a horizontal force
of F=45 N is applied as shown in the figure.
If the coefficient of kinetic friction between all the surfaces is 0.2, find the tension T and
the acceleration of the block of mass 10 kg.
Solution
Firstly, we should draw the free-body diagram of the blocks;
