What is the explanation behind Newton's Laws?

In summary, Newton's 1st and 3rd laws of motion are important for understanding how things work in space and on Earth.
  • #1
._|evo|_.
13
0

Homework Statement



I need someone to help me fully understand Newton's Laws. I kinda get his second law, the sum of the forces equals mass times acceleration??, but yea.

Homework Equations



Newton's First Law
Newton's Second Law [URL]http://upload.wikimedia.org/math/1/9/9/199b3ff9558f5b5e1286d77f1b3b1c44.png[/URL]
Newton's Third Law

The Attempt at a Solution


Uh...I checked with my teacher, no result.
 
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  • #2
Well what about the laws is it that you do not understand?
 
  • #3
Like how you can apply them to stuff. I just need someone to recap in simple words, I'm not really good at big fat definitions.

I'm also asking cause my teacher keeps on emphasizing that Newton's laws 1 & 3 are pretty much useless, and only 2 is important.
 
  • #4
._|evo|_. said:
Like how you can apply them to stuff. I just need someone to recap in simple words, I'm not really good at big fat definitions.

I'm also asking cause my teacher keeps on emphasizing that Newton's laws 1 & 3 are pretty much useless, and only 2 is important.

The third law is used in principle as an application to rockets in space.

The fuel is burnt and gas is expelled, which exerts an equal and opposite reaction on the rocket causing it to move forward.

I believe the only reason your teacher thinks they are useless is because Newtons 2nd Law can be expressed in a formula.
 
  • #5
your teacher says that the first and third of Newton's laws of motion are useless?! that is nonsense.

his first law describes inertia, that a body in motion stays in motion unless acted on by another force. that's a pretty important concept. it explains why planets basically orbit each other and TONS of other important things. not quite useless in my book.

and the third law, as mentioned above, can be applied to how rockets in space work.

i think you might be thinking of application in the wrong sense. just because something can't be applied mathematically doesn't mean it can't be applied.
 
  • #6
Whitishcube said:
his first law describes inertia, that a body in motion stays in motion unless acted on by another force. that's a pretty important concept. it explains why planets basically orbit each other and TONS of other important things. not quite useless in my book.

Newton's 1st Law taught me that I should hold onto something when a bus starts moving and when it s going to stop. Else, I'd fall down!
 

What are Newton's Laws of Motion?

Newton's Laws of Motion are three fundamental principles of physics that describe how objects move and interact with each other. They were developed by Sir Isaac Newton in the 17th century and are considered the foundation of classical mechanics.

What is the First Law of Motion?

The First Law of Motion, also known as the Law of Inertia, states that an object at rest will remain at rest and an object in motion will remain in motion at a constant velocity, unless acted upon by an external force.

What is the Second Law of Motion?

The Second Law of Motion states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on the object and inversely proportional to its mass. In other words, the greater the force applied to an object, the greater its acceleration will be, and the more massive an object is, the less it will accelerate under the same force.

What is the Third Law of Motion?

The Third Law of Motion, also known as the Law of Action and Reaction, states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This means that when one object exerts a force on another object, the second object will exert an equal and opposite force back on the first object.

How do Newton's Laws of Motion explain the movement of objects in the world?

Newton's Laws of Motion provide a framework for understanding and predicting the movement of objects in the world. They help explain why objects move in certain ways and how forces interact to cause changes in an object's motion. These laws have been tested and proven through numerous experiments and are used in various fields, including engineering, astronomy, and sports.

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