Introductory Physics - I

Chapter 4 – Part 1
Newton’s laws of motion (Dynamics)

Lecture 8 – February 1
Outline – Chapter 4
• Interactions and forces
• Examples of forces
• Contact forces
• Tension (also a contact force)
• Friction (still contact)
• Gravity (no contact required)
• Newton’s laws
• First
• Second
• Third
• Mass and weight
• Free body diagrams

New Physical Quantities: mass, force

Weight - an example of force
 Newton’s First Law

An object acted on by no net external force has a

constant velocity (which may be zero) and zero
acceleration.

The object will remain at rest or continue moving with

constant velocity i.e. with the same speed in the same
direction.
 Inertial Reference Frames

An inertial reference frame is one in which Newton’s

laws hold.
Examples of non inertial frames

If the bus moves with constant

velocity, the ball sits still on the
floor.
If the bus accelerates (or put the
brakes) the ball starts to move.
 Inertial Reference Frames

Examples of non inertial frames

We assume that the earth is an inertial frame in this course, although this is not
true because of the earth’s daily rotation and
the motion of the earth in its orbit, as well as the motion of
the solar system and the galaxy.
 Newton’s Second Law
 
Fnet = ma Newton’s second law

• The acceleration is proportional to the net force acting on the

system.
• Net force – very important to understand the distinction between
the net force and any individual force.
• The net force refers to forces external to the system (especially
important in problems with two or more bodies)
• This is a vector equation. There are three component equations
for each of the three co-ordinate axes.

Fnet, x = ma x Fnet, y = ma y Fnet, z = ma z

 Mass and Newton’s second law

• Apply forces of various magnitudes to the same object.

• Measure the acceleration produced by each force.
• The ratio between force and acceleration is a constant for a given object.
• This ratio is the mass of the object.
• More precisely, the inertial mass of the object.

𝐹
= 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙
𝑎
 The Gravitational Force

• The gravitational force is an attraction that exists between all pairs of

masses.
• In the problem studied in this course the second body is the earth
and the force is a downward force experienced by all masses.
• We already know that the acceleration of all bodies in free fall is the
same, g.
• Free fall – motion under the action of only one force: the
gravitational force acting on objects near the surface of the Earth (this
is the definition we use here; you may see different definitions).

𝐹Ԧ = 𝑚𝑔Ԧ Weight of the object of mass m. Also denoted by 𝑊.

Weight is not the same as mass even though in the everyday language we use
them interchangeably.
 Newton’s Third Law
When two bodies interact, the force on the bodies due to each other
are always equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.
 
Fon C due to B = − Fon B due to C
 
FCB = − FBC
 How to solve dynamics problems
(problems involving Newton’s laws)
Some points to remember and mistakes to avoid

1. There are forces acting on an object and forces with which the object acts on
other objects.
2. The acceleration of an object depends only on the forces acting ON the
object.
3. The acceleration depends on the sum of all forces on the object (the net
force).
4. You can choose what “object” you are looking at. It can be a single body or a
system of bodies.
5. If the system includes more than one body, only the external forces contribute
to the net force ON the system.
6. The two forces in a Newton’s third law act on different bodies. Only one
force from the pair contributes to the acceleration of a given body.
 How to solve dynamics problems
(problems involving Newton’s laws)
Free body diagrams (FBD) – how to use Newton’s second law to solve problems

1. Pick the object for which you want to write N’s second law.
2. Draw all the forces acting ON that object.
3. Disregard all the of the forces even if the object under study acts with forces
on other objects.
4. Choose an appropriate coordinate system (x and y axes) and write N’s second
law for each axis.
 Problem 4-1

m1 = 2.3 kg
m2 = 1.2 kg
F12 F21 F = 3.2 N

Two blocks sit on a frictionless table.

One block is pushed with a force F to the right.

Find the acceleration of the two blocks and the force between the blocks (the
force with which m1 pushes m2)

There are vertical forces acting on both objects and the table. I did not show
them here.
 Problem 4-1
• 1. Pick the object for which you want to write N’s second law.
Lets start with the block of mass m1.

• 2. Draw all the forces acting ON that object.

• Disregard all the other forces even if the object under study acts with forces
on other objects. F12
y F
• 3. Choose an appropriate coordinate system (x and
y axes) and write N’s second law for each axis.
N1 m1g
(ox) F – F12 = m1a
(oy) N1-m1g=0 x
 Problem 4-1
m1 = 2.3 kg
FBD for the block of mass m2 m2 = 1.2 kg
F = 3.2 N

F21 (ox) F21 = m2a F – F12 = m1a

(oy) N2-m2g=0
N2 m2g
Now we can combine the two equations to find the unknowns (a and F12=F21)
Note: I already considered the vector nature of the forces when I wrote the right sign for
the components. The symbols F12 and F21 are the magnitudes of the components
(positive scalars). So, F12=F21.

3.2 – F12= 2.3a 3.2

3.2 = 3.5a 𝑎= ≈ 0.91𝑚/𝑠 2
F21 = 1.2a 3.5
F21 = 1.2 ∙ 0.91 ≈ 1.1 𝑁
 Problem 4-2
m1 = 3.70 kg
m2 = 2.30 kg
Find:
a) Magnitude of acceleration
b) Direction of acceleration
c) Tension in cord

Two blocks are connected by a pulley. One sits on an inclined plane

and the other is hanging without touching the inclined plane.
Simplifying assumptions:
• Plane is frictionless.
• Pulley is massless and frictionless.
• Cord is massless. Same tension in all parts of the cord.
• Cord is inextensible (a1=a2)
Problem 4-2 – force inventory

𝑁
𝑇
𝑇

𝑊1 𝑊2
 Problem 4-2 – choosing axes and FBD

N
y x T

30
m1g
FBD for m1
Problem 4-2 – choosing axes and FBD

FBD for m2

m2g
y
 Problem 4-2
find components for forces which are not along the axes
and write N’s second law for each axis
N
y x T
𝑊𝑡
𝑎Ԧ

𝑊𝑛
𝑊1

𝑊𝑡

(ox) T-Wt = m1a1 (ox) 𝑇 − 𝑚1 𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛 30𝑜 = 𝑚1𝑎1

(oy) N-Wn=0 (oy) 𝑁 − 𝑚1 𝑔 cos 30𝑜 = 0
 Problem 4-2
find components for forces not along the axes
and write N’s second law for each axis
T

m2g
y

(ox) no components of forces

(oy) m2g-T=m2a2
(oy) W2-T=m2a2
 Problem 4-2
Collect the equations and solve for the unknowns

𝑇 − 𝑚1 𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛 30𝑜 = 𝑚1 𝑎1
m2g-T=m2a2
𝑁 − 𝑚1 𝑔 cos 30𝑜 = 0

The cord is inextensible: a1=a2=a

𝑇 − 𝑚1 𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛 30𝑜 = 𝑚1 𝑎
𝑁 − 𝑚1 𝑔 cos 30𝑜 = 0 𝑁 = 𝑚1 𝑔 cos 30𝑜
m2g-T=m2a Not required here but
necessary if we have friction.

𝑇 − 𝑚1 𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛 30𝑜 = 𝑚1 𝑎 Two equations with two unknowns, a and T

m2g-T=m2a
 Problem 4-2
Collect the equations and solve for the unknowns

𝑇 − 𝑚1 𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛 30𝑜 = 𝑚1 𝑎 m1 = 3.70 kg

m2g-T=m2a m2 = 2.30 kg

Add the two equations:

m2g − 𝑚1 𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛 30𝑜 = (𝑚1 + 𝑚2 )𝑎

[𝑚2 −𝑚1 sin(30𝑜 )] 2.30 − 1.85

𝑎= 𝑔= 10 𝑚/𝑠 2
𝑚1 + 𝑚2 6.00

a=0.75 m/s2 Positive sign means the guess about direction was right.
 Problem 4-2
Collect the equations and solve for the unknowns

𝑇 − 𝑚1 𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛 30𝑜 = 𝑚1 𝑎 m1 = 3.70 kg

m2g-T=m2a m2 = 2.30 kg

T can be found now from either equation.

From the second one:

T=m2(g-a)=2.30 (10-0.75) N=21.3 N

48. (II) A 2.0-kg purse is dropped from the top of the
Leaning Tower of Pisa and falls 55 m before reaching the
ground with a speed of 27 m/s. What was the average force
of air resistance?
49. (II) Bob traverses a chasm by stringing a rope between a tree on one
side of the chasm and a tree on the opposite side, 25 m away, Fig. 4–47.
Assume the rope can provide a tension force of up to 31 kN before
breaking, and use a “safety factor” of 10 (that is, the rope should only
be required to undergo a tension force of 3.1 kN). (a) If Bob’s mass is
72.0 kg, determine the distance x that the rope must sag at a point
halfway across if it is to be within its recommended safety range. (b) If
the rope sags by only one-fourth the distance found in (a), determine
the tension force in the rope. Will the rope break?
Note: error corrected in red