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Newton's Second Law:
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Newton's Second Law of Motion states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. The law is commonly expressed as F = m × a, where F is force, m is mass, and a is acceleration.
The calculator uses Newton's Second Law rearranged to solve for mass:
Where:
Explanation: This equation allows us to calculate the mass of an object when we know the force applied to it and the resulting acceleration.
Details: Calculating mass from force and acceleration is fundamental in physics and engineering. It's used in vehicle design, aerospace engineering, mechanical systems, and understanding motion dynamics in various applications.
Tips: Enter force in newtons (N) and acceleration in meters per second squared (m/s²). Both values must be positive numbers greater than zero for accurate calculation.
Q1: What are the SI units for this calculation?
A: Force in newtons (N), acceleration in meters per second squared (m/s²), and mass in kilograms (kg).
Q2: Can this formula be used for any object?
A: Yes, Newton's Second Law applies to all objects, from subatomic particles to celestial bodies, as long as we're working within classical mechanics.
Q3: What if acceleration is zero?
A: If acceleration is zero, the object is either at rest or moving with constant velocity, and the net force must be zero (according to Newton's First Law).
Q4: How does this relate to weight?
A: Weight is the force of gravity on an object. On Earth, weight = mass × gravitational acceleration (approximately 9.8 m/s²).
Q5: Are there limitations to this formula?
A: At very high speeds (approaching light speed) or very small scales (quantum mechanics), relativistic or quantum effects become significant and classical mechanics doesn't fully apply.