Relates the net force acting on an object to its mass and acceleration.
Difficulty
Beginner
Read time
5 min
Prerequisites
Basic Physics
Source
FormuLab initial formula library
Initial content draft pending verification against authoritative course or textbook sources.
Newton's Second Law tells us that if you push something, it will speed up (accelerate), and the harder you push (more force), the faster it will accelerate. It also explains that heavier things need a bigger push to accelerate at the same rate as lighter things. Essentially, force causes acceleration, and mass resists it.
| Symbol | Meaning | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Net force acting on the object | ||
| Mass of the object | ||
| Acceleration of the object |
Calculating the engine force required to accelerate a car or a train of a given mass.
Determining the thrust needed for a rocket to achieve a certain acceleration, accounting for its changing mass.
Analyzing the force a tennis player applies to a ball to achieve a desired speed or the force a weightlifter exerts.
Estimating the forces involved in collisions, such as car crashes or objects falling.
A net force causes a 2,000 kg car to accelerate at 3 m/s². Calculate the magnitude of the net force acting on the car.
FormuLab initial formula library
Initial content draft pending verification against authoritative course or textbook sources.
Assumptions
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