General Physics 1

Frames of
Reference,
Forces and
Newton’s Laws of
Motion

1 1
Week

What I Need to Know

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After going through this module, you are expected to:
1. Define inertial frames of reference;
2. Identify action -reaction pairs;
3. Draw free -body diagrams;
4. Apply Newton’s 1st law to obtain quantitative and qualitative conclusions
about the contact and noncontact forces acting on a body in equilibrium;
5. Differentiate the properties of static friction and kinetic friction; and
6. Apply Newton’s 2nd law and kinematics to obtain quantitative and qualitative
conclusions about the velocity and acceleration of one or more bodies, and
the contact and noncontact forces acting on one or more bodies; and

What I Know
Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet of
paper.
1. Laws of motion are valid in a frame of reference which is ___.
A. inertial B. non-inertial C. at rest D. in motion
2. Two forces that are in opposite directions and have equal magnitudes are a(n) ____.
A. equilibrium B. interaction pair C. inverse pair D. net pair
3. An action exerted on an object that causes a change in motion is a(n) _____.
A. equilibrium B. field force C. force D. tension
4. A force that is exerted without contact is a(n) ____.
A. apparent weight B. drag force C. field force D. force
5. The attractive force that exists between all objects with mass is the ____ force.
A. drag B. gravitational C. electrostatic D. tension
6. "The acceleration of a body is directly proportional to the net force on it and inversely
proportional to its mass." This sentence is a statement of ____.
A. field force C. Newton’s second law
B. Newton’s first law D. Newton’s third law
7. The two forces in an interactive pair act on different objects and are equal in
magnitude and opposite in direction." This sentence is a statement of ____.
A. Inertia C. Newton’s second law
B. Newton’s first law D. Newton’s third law
8. A perpendicular contact force exerted by a surface on another object is a(n) ____.
A. drag force C. gravitational force
B. force D. normal force
9. Sand is often placed on an icy road because the sand because ___.
A. Decrease the gravitational force on a car
B. Increases the normal force of a car on the road
C. Decreases the coefficient of friction between the tires of a car and the road
D. Increases the coefficient of friction between the tires of a car and the road
10. In a(n) ____, a dot represents an object and arrows represent each force acting on it,
with their tails on the dot and their points indicating the direction of the force.
A. free body diagram C. inertia plot
B. force diagram D. motion diagram
11. A 5 kg block is pulled across a table by a net force of 32 N. Calculate the
acceleration of the object.
A. 0.16 m/s2 B. 6.4 m/s2 C. 12.65 m/s2 D. 160 m/s2
12. A soccer player starts at rest and accelerates forward, reaching a velocity of 8.00 m/s
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 in 2.50 s. What are her average acceleration and the average force that the ground
exerts forward so that she achieves this acceleration? The player’s mass is 70.0
kg, and air resistance is negligible.
A. a = 2.30 m/s2; F = 224 N C. a = 3.20 m/s2; F = 224 N
B. a = 3.20 m/s ; F = 422 N
2 D. a = 8.75 m/s2; F = 613 N
13. A dragster uses a hydraulic launching system to accelerate riders from 0 to 54 m/s
in 3.8 seconds before climbing a completely vertical 420-foot hill . Determine the
net force required to accelerate an 86-kg man.
A. 205 N B. 1222 N C.1596 N D. 6400 N
14. You are experimenting with the effect of mass and net force upon the acceleration of
a lab cart. They determine that a net force of F causes a cart with a mass of M to
accelerate at 48 cm/s2. What is the acceleration value of a cart with a mass
of M when acted upon by a net force of 2F?
A. 24 cm/s2 B. 48 cm/s2 C. 96 cm/s2 D. 144 cm/s2
15. The diagram at the right is a free-body diagram. It uses arrows to
represent the forces acting upon the bag. Each force is labeled
according to type. The magnitude of the force is represented by
the size of the arrow. Use the free body diagram to determine
the net force acting upon the bag. The values of the individual
forces are:
Fgrav = Fnorm = 60.5 N
Fapp = 40.2 N
Ffrict = 5.7 N
A. 14.6 N, right B. 20.3 N, right C. 34.5 N, right D. 54.8 N, right

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What is New
Imagine you threw and caught a ball while you were on a train moving at a
constant velocity past a station. To you, the ball appears to simply travel vertically
up and then down under the influence of gravity. However, to an observer stood on
the station platform the ball would appear to travel in a parabola, with a constant
horizontal component of velocity equal to the velocity of the train.

The different observations occur because the two observers are in

different frames of reference. A frame of reference is a set of coordinates that can be
used to determine positions and velocities of objects in that frame; different frames of
reference move relative to one another.

Newton's First Law (Law of Inertia) states that if all of the forces (and torques)
acting on an object are balanced then the object will continue with the same velocity
or remain stationary. An inertial frame of reference is defined as a frame of
reference in which Newton's first law holds. An inertial frame of reference is one that
is at rest or moving with constant velocity (not accelerating).
For many cases, a coordinate system stationary relative to the Earth's surface can be
treated as an inertial frame of reference. Non-inertial frame of reference is one that
violates the Law of Inertia. It is a frame of reference that is accelerating.

As you sit right now, you are traveling at a constant speed as the Earth rotates
on its axis. Your speed depends on where you are. If you are at the equator, your speed
is 1670 km/h (1040 mph). At 42° latitude, your speed is 1300 km/h (800 mph).
Do you feel the rotational motion of the Earth? Why or why not?
What evidence do you have that you are moving?

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 ACTIVITY 1
IFOR or NIFOR?
Directions: Identify whether the frame of reference is inertial or non-inertial.
Write IFOR or NIFOR on the black before the number.
“Inside the car” is what kind of frame of reference if it is:
____ 1. driven at a steady speed on a straight and level road?
____ 2. driven at a steady speed up a 10° incline?
____ 3. driven at a steady speed around a curve on a level road?
____ 4. speeding up after leaving a stop sign, on a straight and level road?
____ 5. suddenly pulls to a break?

What is In
According to Newton's third law (Law of Interaction), for every action force there
is an equal (in size) and opposite (in direction) reaction force. Forces always come in
pairs - known as "action-reaction force pairs." Identifying and describing action-reaction
force pairs is a simple matter of identifying the two interacting objects and making two
statements describing who is pushing on whom and in what direction. For example,
consider the interaction between a baseball bat and a baseball.

Action force: The bat pushes the ball to the right.

Reaction force: The baseball pushes the bat to the left.

ACTIVITY 2
WHICH IS WHICH?

Identify 5 pairs of action-reaction force pairs in the following diagram.

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What is It
A force is any interaction that, when unopposed, will change the motion of
an object. In other words, a force can cause an object with mass to change its velocity,
i.e., to accelerate. Force can also be described intuitively as a push or a pull. A force is a
vector quantity. It has both magnitude and direction.

Contact and Non-Contact Forces:

The force which acts on an object without coming physically in contact with it is
called non-contact force. The most familiar example of a non-contact force is weight.
The magnitude of non-contact forces depends on the distance of separation between
them. It decreases with the increase in separation and increases with the decrease in
separation. In contrast, a contact force is a force applied to a body by another body
that is in contact with it.

Examples of Contact Forces:

 Frictional Force:
When a body slide (or rolls) over a rough surface, a force starts acting
on it in a direction opposite to its motion, along with the surface in
contact. The force of friction is a force that resists motion when two
objects are in contact.
 Normal Reaction Force:
When a body is placed on a surface, the body exerts a force equal to its
weight downwards on the surface, but the body does not move or fall
because the surface exerts an equal and opposite force on the body
normal to the surface.
 Tension Force:
When a body is suspended by a string, the body, due to its weight W,
pulls the string vertically downwards and the string in its stretched
condition pulls the body upwards by a force which balances the weight
of the body.
 Spring/Restoring Force:
If one end of a spring is kept fixed and its other end which is directly
proportional to its displacement and is exerted in a direction opposite to
the direction of displacement.

Examples of Non-Contact Forces or Forces at a distance:

 Gravitational Forces:
The body on a force due to earth's attraction is called the force of
Gravity. In the universe, all particles attract one another due to its
mass.
 Electrostatic Force:
Two like charges repel and 2 unlike charges attract each other, the
force between these charges is called Electrostatic Force.
 Magnetic Force:
Two like magnetic poles repel and 2 unlike magnetic poles attract each
other, the force between these magnetic poles is called Magnetic Force.

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Forces and Equilibrium
When all the forces that act upon an object are balanced, then the object is
said to be in a state of equilibrium. The forces are considered to be balanced if the
rightward forces are balanced by the leftward forces and the upward forces are
balanced by the downward forces. This however does not necessarily mean that all
the forces are equal to each other. Consider the two objects pictured in the force
diagram shown below.

The two objects are at equilibrium

because the forces that act upon them are
balanced; however, the individual forces are
not equal to each other. The 50 N force is not
equal to the 30 N force.

If an object is at equilibrium, then the

forces are balanced. Balanced is the keyword
that is used to describe equilibrium situations. Thus, the net force is zero and the
acceleration is 0 m/s/s. Objects at equilibrium must have an acceleration of 0 m/s2.
But having an acceleration of 0 m/s2 does not mean the object is at rest. An object at
equilibrium is either:
 at rest and staying at rest (static equilibrium), or
 in motion and continuing in motion with the same speed and direction
(dynamic equilibrium)

Sample Problem:
A 5 kg mass is attached to a string. What is the tension in the string?

Given: m = 5 kg
Unknown: (Tension)
(Weight/ Gravitational force)
Formula: 𝞢F = T + (- ) = 0
=
But = mg
=mg
Substitution: = mg
= (5 kg) (9.8 )
Final Answer: = 49 N

Static and Kinetic Friction

The force of static friction, fs, is a force between two surfaces that prevents
those surfaces from sliding or slipping across each other. This is the same force that
allows you to accelerate forward when you run. Your planted foot can grip the ground
and push backward, which causes the ground to push forward on your foot. We call
this "grippy" type of friction, where the surfaces are prevented from slipping across each
other, a static frictional force. If there were absolutely no friction between your feet and
the ground, you would be unable to propel yourself forward by running, and would
simply end up jogging in place (similar to trying to run on very slippery ice).

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 f s = F N x µs
where:
FN – normal force
µs - coefficient of static friction

The force of kinetic friction, fk, always opposes the sliding motion and tries
to reduce the speed at which the surfaces slide across each other. For example, a
person sliding into second base during a baseball game is using the force of kinetic
friction to slow down. If there were no kinetic friction, the baseball player would just
continue sliding.

F k = F N x µk
where:
FN – normal force
µs - coefficient of kinetic friction

Sample Problem:
A man pulls a 50 kg box at constant speed across the floor. He applies a 200 N force
at an angle of 30°.

a. What is the value of the frictional force opposing the motion?

Analysis:
Since the box is being pulled at a constant velocity across the floor, there is no
acceleration and therefore no net force on the box. Only horizontal dimensions of forces
will be considered (friction and horizontal tension).

Given: m = 50 kg
T = -200 N; 𝞱 = 30°
Unknown: fk (kinetic friction)
Formula: 𝞢F = -T + fk = 0
fk = T
But T = Tcos30°
Therefore:
fk = Tcos30°
Substitution: fk = Tcos30°
fk = 200 N (cos 30°)
Final Answer: fk = 173.21 N

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 b. What is the value of the normal force?
Analysis:
There are 3 forces acting on the box namely:
 Normal force (upward)
 Tension at angle of 30°
 Weight/gravitational force (downward)
To be in equilibrium, Fg must be balanced by the normal force and tension of the
cable.
Given: m = 50 kg
T = 200 N
𝞱 = 30°
Unknown: FN (Normal force)
Formula: 𝞢F = -Fg + FN + T = 0
FN = Fg + -T
But Fg = mg and -T = -Tsin30°
Therefore:
FN = mg + Tsin30
Substitution: FN = mg + (-T sin30)
FN = (50kg)(9.8m/s2) + [-200 N (sin30)]
Final Answer: FN = 390 N

CONCEPT CHECK

Directions: For each of the following cases of a car changing velocity described in each
item, choose whether it is more likely to be the force of static or kinetic friction causing
the change in velocity.

1. A car slows gently to a stop.

2. A car slams on the brakes and skids to a stop.
3. A car accelerates gently to a higher speed.
4. A car takes a turn gently.

Newton’s Second Law (Law of Acceleration)

Newton's second law of motion pertains to the behavior of objects for which all
existing forces are not balanced. The second law states that the acceleration of an
object is dependent upon two variables - the net force acting upon the object and the
mass of the object. The acceleration of an object depends directly upon the net force
acting upon the object, and inversely upon the mass of the object. As the force acting
upon an object is increased, the acceleration of the object is increased. As the mass of
an object is increased, the acceleration of the object is decreased.
acceleration = Net Force / mass  a = Fnet / m

In solving problems about acceleration, the three major equations that will be
useful are the equations for:
 net force (Fnet = m•a)
 gravitational force (Fgrav = m•g)
 frictional force(f = μ • FN)

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What’s More
ACTIVITY 3: INVESTIGATING RELATIONSHIPS

1. Suppose that a cart is accelerating at a rate of 2 m/s2. If the net force is

tripled and the mass is doubled, then what is the new acceleration of the
cart? Show your solution.

2. Suppose that a cart is accelerating at a rate of 4 m/s2. If the net force is

tripled and the mass is halved, then what is the new acceleration of the
cart? Show your solution.

What I Can Do
ACTIVITY 4: SOLVING THROUGH FREE BODY DIAGRAMS

Show your complete solutions to the following problems.

1. An applied force of 50 N is used to accelerate an

object to the right across a frictional surface. The
object encounters 10 N of friction. Use the diagram
to determine the normal force, the net force, the
mass, and the acceleration of the object. (Neglect
air resistance.)

2. An applied force of 20 N is used to accelerate an

object to the right across a frictional surface. The
object encounters 10 N of friction. Use the diagram
to determine the normal force, the net force, the
coefficient of friction (μ) between the object and the
surface, the mass, and the acceleration of the
object. (Neglect air resistance.)

3. Identify the forces in in the FBD

as shown on the right and
calculate the forces to achieve
equilibrium.

4. A person is pushing down at a 30° angle with

200 N of force. The desk does not move.
a. Determine the value of the frictional force.
b. Determine the normal force.
c.

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What I Have Learned
Create a concept organizer using at least 10 terms about the lesson on frame of
reference, forces and laws of motion.

What I Can Achieve

Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate
sheet of paper.

1. Laws of motion are valid in a frame of reference which is ___.

A. inertial B. non-inertial C. at rest D. in motion
2. Two forces that are in opposite directions and have equal magnitudes are a(n) ____.
A. equilibrium B. interaction pair C. inverse pair D. net pair
3. An action exerted on an object that causes a change in motion is a(n) _____.
A. equilibrium B. field force C. force D. tension
4. A force that is exerted without contact is a(n) ____.
A. apparent weight B. drag force C. field force D. force
5. The attractive force that exists between all objects with mass is the ____ force.
A. drag B. gravitational C. electrostatic D. tension
6. "The acceleration of a body is directly proportional to the net force on it and
inversely proportional to its mass." This sentence is a statement of ____.
A. field force C. Newton’s second law
B. Newton’s first law D. Newton’s third law
7. The two forces in an interactive pair act on different objects and are equal in
magnitude and opposite in direction." This sentence is a statement of ____.
A. Inertia C. Newton’s second law
B. Newton’s first law D. Newton’s third law
8. A perpendicular contact force exerted by a surface on another object is a(n) ____.
A. drag force C. gravitational force
B. force D. normal force
9. Sand is often placed on an icy road because the sand because ___.
A. Decrease the gravitational force on a car
B. Increases the normal force of a car on the road
C. Decreases the coefficient of friction between the tires of a car and the road
D. Increases the coefficient of friction between the tires of a car and the road
10. In a(n) ____, a dot represents an object and arrows represent each force acting on
it, with their tails on the dot and their points indicating the direction of the force.
A. free body diagram C. inertia plot
B. force diagram D. motion diagram
11. A 5 kg block is pulled across a table by a net force of 32 N. Calculate the
acceleration of the object.
A. 0.16 m/s2 B. 6.4 m/s2 C. 12.65 m/s2 D. 160 m/s2
12. A soccer player starts at rest and accelerates forward, reaching a velocity of
8.00 m/s in 2.50 s. What are her average acceleration and the average force that
the ground exerts forward so that she achieves this acceleration? The player’s
mass is 70.0 kg, and air resistance is negligible.
A. a = 2.30 m/s2; F = 224 N C. a = 3.20 m/s2; F = 224 N
B. a = 3.20 m/s ; F = 422 N
2 D. a = 8.75 m/s2; F = 613 N

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13. A dragster uses a hydraulic launching system to accelerate riders from 0 to 54 m/s
in 3.8 seconds before climbing a completely vertical 420-foot hill . Determine the
net force required to accelerate an 86-kg man.
A. 205 N B. 1222 N C.1596 N D. 6400 N
14. You are experimenting with the effect of mass and net force upon the acceleration
of a lab cart. They determine that a net force of F causes a cart with a mass
of M to accelerate at 48 cm/s2. What is the acceleration value of a cart with a
mass of M when acted upon by a net force of 2F?
A. 24 cm/s2 B. 48 cm/s2 C. 96 cm/s2
D. 144 cm/s 2

15. The diagram at the right is a free-body diagram. It uses arrows to

represent the forces acting upon the bag. Each force is labeled
according to type. The magnitude of the force is represented
by the size of the arrow. Use the free body diagram to
determine the net force acting upon the bag. The values of the
individual forces are:
Fgrav = Fnorm = 60.5 N
Fapp = 40.2 N
Ffrict = 5.7 N
A. 14.6 N, right C. 34.5 N, right
B. 20.3 N, right D. 54.8 N, right

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References

What is inertial frame of reference?, accessed October 15, 2020,

https://isaacphysics.org/concepts/cp_frame_reference

Identifying Interaction Force Pairs, accessed October 15, 2020,

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/newtlaws/Lesson-
4/Identifying-Action-and-Reaction-Force Pairs

Contact and Non-contact Forces, accessed October 15, 2020,

http://quiznext.in/study-material/learning_material/ICSE-
9-Physics/Laws-of-Motion/contact-and-non-contact-forces

Equilibrium and Statics, accessed October 15, 2020,

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/vectors/Lesson-
3/Equilibrium-and-Statics

What are the forces of static and kinetic friction?, accessed October 15, 2020,
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics/forces-newtons-
laws/inclined-planes-friction/a/what-is-friction
Newton’s Second Law, accessed October 15, 2020,
https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/newtlaws/Lesson-3/Newton-
s-Second-Law
Finding Acceleration, accessed October 15, 2020,
https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/newtlaws/Lesson-3/Finding-
Acceleration
Inertial and Non-Inertial Frame of Reference, accessed on October 23, 2020,
https://www8.physics.utoronto.ca/~jharlow/teaching/phy131f12/lec10
topost.pdf
Forces and Newton’s Laws of Motion, accessed October 23, 2020,
https://slideplayer.com/slide/7808101/

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