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Newton's Second Law Formula:
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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. This fundamental principle describes the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration in classical mechanics.
The calculator uses Newton's second law formula:
Where:
Explanation: The acceleration of an object depends on both the magnitude of the net force and the mass of the object. Doubling the force doubles the acceleration, while doubling the mass halves the acceleration.
Details: Calculating acceleration is crucial in physics, engineering, and everyday applications. It helps predict motion, design vehicles and structures, understand planetary movements, and solve real-world problems involving moving objects.
Tips: Enter force in newtons (N) and mass in kilograms (kg). Both values must be positive numbers greater than zero. The calculator will compute the acceleration in meters per second squared (m/s²).
Q1: What is the unit of acceleration?
A: The standard unit of acceleration is meters per second squared (m/s²), which represents the change in velocity per second.
Q2: How does mass affect acceleration?
A: Acceleration is inversely proportional to mass. For the same force, a heavier object will accelerate less than a lighter object.
Q3: What is the difference between force and acceleration?
A: Force is a push or pull on an object, while acceleration is the rate of change of velocity caused by that force.
Q4: Can acceleration be negative?
A: Yes, negative acceleration (deceleration) occurs when an object slows down, indicating the force is acting in the opposite direction to motion.
Q5: Does this formula work for all situations?
A: Newton's second law applies to classical mechanics at everyday speeds. For objects approaching the speed of light or at quantum scales, relativistic or quantum mechanics are needed.