Best source(s) to get a great grasp on forces/Newton's laws?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around seeking resources to better understand forces and Newton's laws, particularly the application of the equation f_net=ma in free body diagrams and the concept of third-law pairs. The context includes both high school and college-level physics, with a focus on visual and auditory learning materials.

Discussion Character

  • Homework-related
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses difficulty understanding f_net=ma and its application in free body diagrams, as well as the role of third-law pairs.
  • Another participant suggests Khan Academy as a resource, although they note it lacks examples of more complicated problems.
  • A later reply asks for clarification on whether the course is high school or college level and whether it is algebra or calculus based.
  • One participant mentions that the course is an engineering physics course at college and is calculus based.
  • Another participant recommends "University Physics" by Freedman for its detailed explanations and exercises, while acknowledging they did not take physics in high school.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the need for additional resources to understand the material better, but there are varying opinions on the adequacy of suggested resources and the level of understanding expected at different educational stages.

Contextual Notes

There is a lack of consensus on the best resources for understanding the concepts, and the discussion reflects varying levels of prior knowledge and educational background among participants.

toboldlygo
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So, we're learning about forces and Newton's laws in class, and my professor zips through the material without really explaining anything. I'm having the most trouble understanding f_net=ma (specifically, how that can be used in a free body diagram) and how third-law pairs fit into a free body diagram, and I was wondering what sources you've used to get a better understanding of these things. I'm a very visual/auditory learner, so videos are the best, but any online materials that I can easily access would be great. Any worksheets w/answers and stuff using Newton's laws in calculations would be great, too. Thank you in advance!
 
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Geofleur said:
You might try Khan academy: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics

I love khan academy, and I went through they're Newton's laws stuff, but it didn't have any examples on more complicated problems, which is what I'm really having trouble with. Thanks, though; I might check them out again.
 
toboldlygo said:
So, we're learning about forces and Newton's laws in class, and my professor zips through the material without really explaining anything. I'm having the most trouble understanding f_net=ma (specifically, how that can be used in a free body diagram) and how third-law pairs fit into a free body diagram, and I was wondering what sources you've used to get a better understanding of these things. I'm a very visual/auditory learner, so videos are the best, but any online materials that I can easily access would be great. Any worksheets w/answers and stuff using Newton's laws in calculations would be great, too. Thank you in advance!
It would be helpful to know if this is for high school or college, and whether your physics course is algebra or calculus based.
 
SteamKing said:
It would be helpful to know if this is for high school or college, and whether your physics course is algebra or calculus based.

Sorry about that! This is an engineering physics course at college; it's calculus based.
 
The application of Newton's laws should be well understood while you are in high school! Try University Physics by Freedman, it has very detailed explanation and plenty of exercise.
 
Rescy said:
The application of Newton's laws should be well understood while you are in high school! Try University Physics by Freedman, it has very detailed explanation and plenty of exercise.

I didn't actually take physics in high school haha. Thanks for the rec; I'll check it out.
 

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