Laws of motion[edit]

In physics, the motion of massive bodies is described through two related sets of laws of
mechanics. Classical mechanics for super atomic (larger than an atom) objects (such
as cars, projectiles, planets, cells, and humans) and quantum mechanics for atomic and sub-
atomic objects (such as helium, protons, and electrons). Historically, Newton and Euler
formulated three laws of classical mechanics:

In an inertial reference frame, an object either remains at rest or continues to move in

First law:
a straight line at a constant velocity, unless acted upon by a net force.

In an inertial reference frame, the vector sum of the forces F on an object is equal to
Second the mass m of that object multiplied by the acceleration a of the object: .
law:
If the resultant force acting on a body or an object is not equal to zero, the body will
have an acceleration which is in the same direction as the resultant force.
Third When one body exerts a force on a second body, the second body simultaneously
law: exerts a force equal in magnitude and opposite in direction on the first body.

Classical mechanics[edit]
Main article: Kinematics
Classical mechanics is used for describing the motion of macroscopic objects moving at speeds
significantly slower than the speed of light, from projectiles to parts of machinery, as well
as astronomical objects, such as spacecraft, planets, stars, and galaxies. It produces very accurate
results within these domains and is one of the oldest and largest scientific descriptions
in science, engineering, and technology.
Classical mechanics is fundamentally based on Newton's laws of motion. These laws describe the
relationship between the forces acting on a body and the motion of that body. They were first
compiled by Sir Isaac Newton in his work Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, which was
first published on July 5, 1687. Newton's three laws are:

1. A body at rest will remain at rest, and a body in motion will remain in motion unless it is acted
upon by an external force. (This is known as the law of inertia.)
2. Force () is equal to the change in momentum per change in time (). For a constant mass,
force equals mass times acceleration ( ).
3. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. (In other words, whenever one
body exerts a force onto a second body, (in some cases, which is standing still) the second
body exerts the force back onto the first body. and are equal in magnitude and opposite in
direction. So, the body which exerts will be pushed backward.)[5]
Newton's three laws of motion were the first to accurately provide a mathematical model for
understanding orbiting bodies in outer space. This explanation unified the motion of celestial bodies
and the motion of objects on Earth.