Explaining the Relationship Between Force and Acceleration: Newton's Second Law

In summary, the conversation discusses the relationship between Newton's Second Law and the Law of Inertia in a frame of reference with no external, unbalanced forces. The first law states that an object at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by a force, while the second law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the force applied to it and inversely proportional to its mass. The question asks for an explanation of how F=ma implies that an object's velocity will not change unless it is pushed.
  • #1
flyingpig
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  • #2
flyingpig said:

Homework Statement


In frame of reference where ther are no external, unbalanced forces, show that Newton's Second Law includes the Law of Inertia


Homework Equations



f=ma

The Attempt at a Solution



I thought the Law of Inertia is only in the First law, the second law states that unless you push an object, the velocity of that object would not change.

No, that's the first law. The second law is F=ma.
 
  • #3
ideasrule said:
No, that's the first law. The second law is F=ma.

I know, read my question...it wants me to explain that.
 
  • #4
flyingpig said:
I know, read my question...it wants me to explain that.

I don't think we're understanding each other. You said:

"the second law states that unless you push an object, the velocity of that object would not change."

It's the first law that says that, not the second. The second law is F=ma. The question wants you to explain why F=ma implies that unless you push an object, the velocity of that object would not change. To begin, what would "F" be if you don't push an object?
 
  • #5
ideasrule said:
I don't think we're understanding each other. You said:

"the second law states that unless you push an object, the velocity of that object would not change."

It's the first law that says that, not the second. The second law is F=ma. The question wants you to explain why F=ma implies that unless you push an object, the velocity of that object would not change. To begin, what would "F" be if you don't push an object?

It be stationary, but I don't follow you...
 

What are Newton's laws of motion?

Newton's laws of motion are three physical laws that describe the relationship between an object's motion and the forces acting on it. They were first described by Sir Isaac Newton in his book "Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica" in 1687.

What is the first law of motion?

The first law of motion, also known as the law of inertia, states that an object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an external force.

What is the second law of motion?

The second law of motion states that the net force acting on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration. This can be represented by the equation F=ma, where F is force, m is mass, and a is acceleration.

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 apply to real-life situations?

Newton's laws of motion can be applied to a wide range of real-life situations, from the motion of objects on Earth to the movement of planets in the solar system. For example, the first law explains why a book remains on a table unless someone picks it up, and the third law explains how rockets are able to launch into space by pushing against the ground with a powerful force.

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