Newton's Laws: Understanding Force & Mass

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around Newton's laws, specifically focusing on force and mass in the context of two scenarios: a rock thrown upward and a woman diving off a board. Participants explore the forces acting on objects in freefall and the relationship between mass and weight.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the application of kinematics and Newton's second law (F=ma) to determine forces acting on objects in motion. Questions arise about the net force during freefall and how to calculate acceleration and maximum height with given parameters.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the concepts, questioning the relevance of initial conditions to the problems presented. Some guidance has been offered regarding the forces acting on objects in freefall, particularly the role of gravity.

Contextual Notes

There is an ongoing exploration of definitions related to mass and weight, with participants questioning whether mass changes during freefall. The discussion also touches on the potential confusion caused by the problem's wording.

Shay10825
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Hi everyone! I need some help.

1.)A .2 kg rock is thrown upward with an initial speed 15 m/s. What is the force on the ball in N when it reaches its maximum height?

Would I use kinematics to find the max height then use F=ma? If so how?
The answer is 2

2.) A woman whose mass as the surface of the Earth is 52 kg dives off a 2 m board into a swimming pool. What is her mass in kg while she is in a freefall?

The answer is 52.

~Thanks
 
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[itex]F_{net}=ma[/itex], as you know. What is the net force acting on the rock while it is in the air? Hint: the net force on the rock is constant throughout its trajectory, nelgecting friction.
 
But how would you do this for the max height?
 
Shay, for a minute forget your problem and answer this question : "What are the different forces that are acting on an object that is in the air, and not in contact with any other object ?"
 
If I just do F=ma then I need the acceleration. How do I fond the acceleration and max height with only the velocity and mass?
 
What is the definition of mass, and how does an object's mass change ?
 
Gokul43201 said:
Shay, for a minute forget your problem and answer this question : "What are the different forces that are acting on an object that is in the air, and not in contact with any other object ?"

gravity is the only force
 
Shay10825 said:
If I just do F=ma then I need the acceleration. How do I fond the acceleration and max height with only the velocity and mass?

Forget about this for now. You'll learn how to do this only after you understand the answer to my question.
 
Gokul43201 said:
What is the definition of mass, and how does an object's mass change ?
Does it change when it is in freefall?
 
  • #10
Shay10825 said:
gravity is the only force

Correct. So would that not be the answer to the question ?

How do you calculate the force due to gravity ? Does it have another name ?
 
  • #11
Shay10825 said:
Does it change when it is in freefall?

Okay, I'll give you a definition, and you tell me whether or not the mass changes.

Definition : The mass is the amount of matter contained in an object, (sort of like the number of atoms/molecules in the object).
 
  • #12
Gokul43201 said:
Correct. So would that not be the answer to the question ?

How do you calculate the force due to gravity ? Does it have another name ?

Is it 9.8 m/s^2 ?
 
  • #13
Gokul43201 said:
Okay, I'll give you a definition, and you tell me whether or not the mass changes.

Definition : The mass is the amount of matter contained in an object, (sort of like the number of atoms/molecules in the object).

I think the mass does not change.
 
  • #14
Shay10825 said:
Is it 9.8 m/s^2 ?

That's the acceleration due to gravity, represented by the symbol 'g'.

The force due to gravity involves this g and the mass m. And there's a common name for it - begins with a "W". What is this name and formula for the force ?
 
  • #15
Shay10825 said:
I think the mass does not change.

Correct, you can change the mass only by removing or adding stuff to the object.
 
  • #16
Weight
Fg = mg
 
  • #17
Ohhhhhhhhh!

Fg = ma
Fg= (.2)(9.8)
Fg=1.96

BUt why did they say "when it reaches its maximum height" and why does it talk about the initial speed? Is this just to confuse me?
 
  • #18
OK now I understand why 52 is the answer to #2. Is what I did for #1 correct?
 
  • #19
Correct. It's a trick question. The whole thing about the velocity and the maximum height is a distraction. They have no relevance to the problem.
 
  • #20
Thanks :smile:
 

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