CHAPTER 3: DYNAMICS OF MOTION

I. Force

Force is a push or a pull of an object. When a force involves direct contact between two bodies,
we call it a contact force. When a force acts even when the bodies are separated by empty
space, we call it a long – range force.

⃑
The resultant force or the net force is denoted by F net where

⃑ ⃑ ⃑ ⃑ ⃑ ⃑
F net= F 1 + F2 + F 3+ … F n =Σ F

Any force can be replaced by its component vectors,

⃑ ⃑ ⃑ ⃑ ⃑ ⃑
F x =Σ F x F y =Σ F y F z=Σ F z

In two dimension, the magnitude and direction of the resultant force is

Fy
F=√ F x + F y θ=tan
2 2 −1
Fx

II. Newton’s Laws of Motion

First Law of Motion (Law of Inertia)

“A body acted on by no net force moves with constant velocity (which may be zero) and
zero acceleration.”

Inertia is a property of an object that describes how much it will resist change in the
motion
of the object. More mass means larger inertia.

Newton’s Second Law of Motion (Law of Force and Acceleration)

“If a net external force acts on a body, the body accelerates. The direction of
acceleration
is the same as the direction of the net force. The net force vector is equal to the mass of the
body times the acceleration of the body.”

⃑ ⃑
Σ F=m a
 SI Unit of force is Newton, N

m
1 N=1 kg ∙ 2
s

The first condition for equilibrium is that the sum of all forces acting on a system must
be zero.
⃑
Σ F=0

This implies that the system is either at rest or in motion with constant velocity.

Newton’s Third Law of Motion (Law of Action and Reaction)

“If body A exerts a force on body B (an “action”), then body B exerts a force on body A
(a “reaction”). These two forces have the same magnitude but are opposite in direction.
These two bodies act on different bodies.”

⃑ ⃑
F AonB=−F BonA

III. Some Forces

1. Weight

This is the force exerted by gravity on an object and is directed downward.

⃑ ⃑
w=m g=−mg
where:
⃑ is the acceleration due to gravity with magnitude g=9.8 m .
g s
2

The negative sign indicates the downward direction.

2. Tension

This is the force exerted by a rope, string or cable on an object and its direction
is away from the body and along the cord at the point of attachment.
3. Normal Force

This is the force exerted by a surface when an object is in contact with it. Its direction is into the
object and perpendicular to the surface.

4. Friction

Friction is a force that opposes relative motion between systems in contact.

*static friction

This is the type of friction that acts on an object with no relative motion. Its magnitude
is

f s ≤ ( f s ) max=μ s η

*kinetic friction

This is the type of friction that acts on an object in motion. Its magnitude is

f k =μk η

Since μs > μ k , then it is harder to set an object to move than maintain its motion.

A free body diagram (FBD) is a diagram showing the chosen body by itself, “free” of its
surroundings, with vectors drawn to show the magnitude and direction of all the forces applied
to the body by the various other bodies that interact with it.

SOLVED PROBLEMS
1. Two blocks, A and B, are suspended by a string on either side of a massless, frictionless
pulley. Find the accelerations of the two blocks and the tension in the string.

Equating the above two equations,

m A a+m A g=m B g−m B a

m A a+m B a=m B g−m A g

a( m A + mB )=( m B −m A ) g

( )
mB −m A
a= g
mA + mB

a= (
25 kg−10 kg
10 kg +25 kg
m
9.8 2
s )
m
a=4 . 2 2
s

Substituting the value of the acceleration to any of the two equations for T gives us the value of
the tension of the string.

T =m A ( a+g )

(
T =10 kg 4 . 2
m
s 2
m
+9 . 8 2
s )
T =140 N
2. A 5kg block is pulled westward across a frictionless horizontal surface by a 30N force applied
at 87° angle above the horizontal. (a) what is the block’s acceleration? and (b) what is the
normal force?

F Fy

η
Fx
87o
m  5kg w

a.
∑ ⃗F x =ma x
−F x =ma x
−F cos87 o =5 kg(a x )
−30 N cos 87o
a x= =−0. 314 m/ s2
5 kg

b.
∑ F y =0
F y +η−w=0
F sin 87 o +η−mg=0
η=(5kg )(9 .8 m/s2 )−(30 N )sin 87o
η=19. 04 N
3. For a car traveling at a certain speed, it is possible to bank a curve at just the right angle so
that no friction at all is needed to maintain the car’s turning radius. Then a car can safely round
the curve even on wet ice. (Bobsled racing depends on this same idea.) Your engineering firm
plans to build a curve so that a car moving at a chosen speed can safely make the turn even
with no friction. If the radius of the curve is 230m and the highway speed is 25m/s, at what
angle should the curve be banked?

⃑
Σ F x =η sin β=m arad
m v2
sin β=
η R

⃑
Σ F y =η cos β−w=0
w mg
cos β= =
η η

Thus,
m v2
sin β ηR
=
cos β mg
η
2
v
tan β=
Rg

( )
2
m
25
−1 v2 −1 s o
β=tan =tan =15.5 0
Rg
( ms )
( 230 m ) 9.8 2
 Group Drill 3.1

1. A crate weighing 640 N is acted upon by a 410 N horizontal force. The coefficient of friction
between surfaces is 0.25. (a) find the frictional force acting on the crate (b) find the acceleration
and the distance moved in 10s and (c) what additional distance is travelled before stopping if
the 410 N force stops acting after 10 s?

2. A net force F is exerted on a mass m travelling with a velocity v1 . Using Newton’s 2nd Law,
⃑ ⃑ 1 2 1
⃑ d v , show that (a) ⃑ ⃑ ⃑ 2
F=m a=m F t=m v 2−m v 1 and (b) Fd= 2 m v 2− 2 m v 1.
dt

3. A light rope is attached to a block with a mass of 6kg

that rests on a horizontal, frictionless surface. The
horizontal rope passes over a frictionless, massless pulley,
and a block of mass m is suspended from the other end.
When the blocks are released, the tension in the rope is
18N. (a) draw a free-body diagram for each block. (b) what
is the acceleration of the 6-kg block? (c) what is the mass
m of the hanging block? (d) using the value of the
hanging mass calculated in part c, what would be the
acceleration and the tension in the rope if the coefficient
of kinetic friction between the 6-kg mass and the
horizontal is 0.10?

4. Two blocks connected by a cord passing over a

small, frictionless pulley rest on frictionless planes.
(a) which way will the system move when the
blocks are released from rest? (b) what is the
acceleration of the blocks? (c) what is the tension
in the cord?
5. Two blocks with masses 4kg and 8kg are connected by a string and slide down a 30 o inclined
plane. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the 4.00-kg block and the plane is 0.25; that
between the 8-kg block and the plane is 0.35. (a) calculate the acceleration of each block. (b)
calculate the tension in the string. (c) What happens if the positions of the blocks are reversed,
so the 4.00-kg block is above the 8-kg block?