Newton’s Three Laws of Motion Apply in Everyday Life
| Newton’s Law | Explanation | Everyday Examples |
|---|---|---|
| First Law (Law of Inertia) | An object will remain at rest or move at a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force. | – A book on a table stays stationary until pushed.- A car stops suddenly, and passengers lurch forward. |
| Second Law (F = ma) | The force acting on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration. | – Pushing a shopping cart: A heavier cart requires more force.- Kicking a ball harder makes it accelerate faster. |
| Third Law (Action-Reaction) | For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. | – A swimmer pushes water backward to move forward.- A rocket’s thrust pushes down, causing it to launch upward. |
Additional Examples:
First Law of Motion
- Seatbelts in Cars: Prevent passengers from continuing forward during a sudden stop.
- Rolling Balls: A ball on the floor eventually stops due to friction, an external force acting on it.
Second Law of Motion
- Cycling: Pedaling harder increases the bike’s acceleration.
- Lifting Weights: Heavier weights need more force to lift.
Third Law of Motion
- Walking: You push the ground backward, and the ground pushes you forward.
- Jumping: Pushing down on the ground propels you upward.
Newton’s laws provide a foundation to understand motions and forces encountered daily.