AP Physics Dynamics (Newton’s Laws) - The Causes of Motion

Introduction: This unit introduces the most basic of all scientific concepts, the interaction between forces and
matter. You should understand from the outset that any time two or more objects interact, the interaction causes a
force on each object. There are no exceptions.
In your earlier science courses, a force was defined as a push or a pull. This is correct but now you need to
understand that a force on a body is caused by an interaction between bodies. We isolate and then study the forces
acting on one body without regard to the origin of the forces. This gets confusing for the beginning physics
student. You need to spend a lot of time thinking about, sorting through, and organizing in your mind the
information learned in this unit. Sir Isaac Newton had to go through the same process in developing his laws of
motion. You have an advantage – you have over three hundred years of the experiences of all of the physics to
follow.
Force is a vector quantity; it always has direction and magnitude. A force applied to a body can do two
things; it can alter the dimension or shape of the body or it can alter the state of motion of the body. Natural forces
known to scientists are gravitational, electromagnetic, and nuclear forces.
Dynamics is the study of forces which cause motion.

Performance Objectives: Upon completion of the readings and activities of this unit and when asked to respond
either orally or on a written test, you will:

 State the first law of motion and display a clear understanding of its universality and implications. Give
examples of what happens to an object when no external net force acts on it.
 Use the words force, mass, weight, and inertia in their correct scientific meanings.
 State the second law of motion, and display a clear understanding of its universality and implications. Be
able to apply the law to determine the results of forces. Solve problems involving this law.
 Understand the rationale behind the definition of the ‘Newton.’ Recognize the relationship between the
second law and the unit of force.
 Distinguish between weight and mass. Explain the nature of weight as a force. Use the second law to
determine the mass.
 Demonstrate an understanding of the meaning of new force. Use the concept of net force to solve
problems.
 State the observations regarding sliding friction. Compute the coefficient of friction. Solve problems
involving frictional forces.
 State the third law, and display a clear understanding of its universality and implications. Distinguish
between forces applied to a body and forces being applied by the body. Be able to isolate bodies to solve
problems.
 Incorporate the problems solving techniques learned in this unit with ideas learned in the kinematics and
the vector units.

Textbook Reference: Physics For Scientists and Engineers: Chapter 4

“In the beginning there was Aristotle. And objects at rest tended to remain at rest. And objects in motion
tended to come to rest. And soon everything was at rest and God saw that boring. Then God created Newton.”
- Dr. William Baker, President Bell Laboratories (1978)

All forces result from interactions. There are no exceptions. When two bodies interact, each body exerts
on the other a force. The two forces are called and action-reaction pair. The forces of an action-reaction pair are
(1) equal in magnitude, (2) opposite in direction, (3) act on two different bodies and (4) do not cancel each other.
Introductory Questions: 8. In terms of inertia, what is the disadvantage of a
1. When you push against the wall, does it push lightweight camera when snapping the shutter? Why
against you? How can you tell? do most photographers prefer a massive tripod?

2. Your weight is the result of a gravitational force
of the earth on your body. What is the corresponding
reaction force?
3. As you stand on the floor, does the floor exert an
upward force against your feet? How much force
does it exert?
4. Suppose a brick is suspended from a rigid support
by a suitable length of cord. a.) What downward
force acts on the brick? b.) If this force is the action
force, what is the corresponding reaction force?
9. In tearing a paper towel or plastic bag from a roll,
why is a sharp jerk more effective than a slow pull?
10. Why will the coin drop into the glass when a
force accelerates the card? See diagram…
11. Why does the downward motion and sudden
stop of the hammer tighten the hammerhead?
12. Why is it that a slow continuous increase in the
downward force breaks the string above the massive
ball, but a sudden increase breaks the lower string?

5. a.) What upward force acts on the suspended 13. An astronaut in space has a “weightless” anvil.
brick in Question 4? b.) If this force is the action Is it more difficult, less difficult or just as difficult to
force, what is the corresponding reaction force? shake the anvil back and forth in space as it is on
earth?
For most of this unit, we will isolate one
10. 11.
body and look at the forces acting on that one body.
The forces we will discuss in this unit are called
contact forces. The interacting bodies will be in
contact with each other. The only exception will be
the force of gravity which is the result of a body
interacting with the earth’s gravitational field. We
will study field forces later in this course.
12.
Newton’s First Law of Motion: An object at rest
remains at rest, and an object in straight line motion
continues in motion with constant velocity (same
speed and same direction) unless acted upon by a net
external force. This is also known as the Law of
13.
Inertia.

“Every body preserves in its state of rest, or of

uniform motion in a straight line, unless it is
compelled to change that state by forces impressed
there on.”
- Isaac Newton, Principia Mathematica

Conceptual Questions - First Law:
6. A ball is rolled across the top of a table and
slowly comes to a stop. Considering Newton’s first
law of motion, explain why the ball stops. How
could the ball have remained in motion?
7. Why do you fall backward on a bus when it
accelerates from rest? Who do you fall forward
when the driver decelerates to rest?
14. Many automobile passengers suffer neck injuries
when struck by cars from behind. How does
Newton’s law of inertia apply here? How do
headrests help guard against this type of injury?
15. Most car ads now include mileage ratings, on for
highway driving and one for city driving. Why is the
city driving rating always less than the highway
driving rating?
16. If a ball moving with a velocity of 20 cm/s has
no net force act on it, its velocity after 5.0 s will be?
Newton’s Second Law of Motion: The
acceleration of an object is directly proportional to
the net external force acting on the object and
inversely proportional to the mass of the object on
which the net external force acts. The acceleration is
always in the direction of the net force. This is also
known as the Law of Acceleration.
Second Law Exercises:
17. A net force gives a 2 kg mass an acceleration of
5.0 m/s2. What is the magnitude of the force? 10 N
18. A net force of 30.0 N gives a stone an
acceleration of 4.0 m/s2. What is the mass of the
stone? 7.5 kg
19. A net force of 25 N is applied to a 2.0 kg mass.
What is the acceleration of the mass? 12.5 m/s2
20. What net force gives a 1.0 kg mass an
acceleration of 9.8 m/s2?
21. Determine the weight of a 4.8 kg mass. 47 N
22. A small yacht weighs 4900 N. What is its mass
in kilograms? 500 kg
23. A car has a mass of 1200 kg. What is the weight
of the car? What net external force must be applied
to the car to accelerate the car along a level highway
at the rate of 4.0 m/s2 (neglecting friction)? What
acceleration would this force produce if a 750 N
frictional force were present?
11,760 N 4800 N 3.375 m/s2
More Second Law Problems, But This Time The
Net Force Is Not Given:
The equation net applied opposing is a vector
equation. Keep in mind that this is a vector equation
and you must keep track of the directions. The
applied force is in the direction of the motion and the
opposing force is any force acting on the body in a
direction opposite to the motion.
However, if we rewrite this equation for only one
dimension, the direction is indicated with a plus or a
minus sign. Usually we will look at the sum of the
components in the x and y directions. Recall from
your study of vectors that all the vectors in the x-
direction can be added algebraically by choosing
one direction to be positive and the opposite
direction negative. The equation is then written as
Fnet = Fapplied – Fopposing. Commit this equation to
memory. Say it to yourself each time you solve a
problem.
When solving problems, choose a direction in
which you think the object will move and consider
that the positive direction. Consider all the forces in
that direction applied forces. The opposing forces
are any forces acting on the body in a direction
opposite to the motion. When moving bodies are in
contact and sliding in opposite directions relative to
each other, there is an opposing force due to friction.
When there is relative motion between a fluid and
a body that moves through the fluid, the opposing
force is called the drag force. If a body falls through
air (which is a fluid), the drag force is called air
resistance or air friction. If a body falls far enough
through air, the air resistance eventually equals the
weight of the body, so the net force and the
acceleration on the body are zero. The body then
falls at a constant velocity called the terminal
velocity.
24. Determine the acceleration that a force of 25.0 N
gives to a 4.0 kg mass. The friction force to
overcome is 5.0 N. 5.0 m/s2
25. A car located on a level highway has a mass of
400.0 kg. The friction force opposing the motion of
the car is 750 N. What acceleration will an applied
force of 2350 N produce on the car? 4.0 m/s2
26. A rubber ball weighs 4.9 N. a.) What is its
mass? b.) At what rate is the ball accelerated
straight up if a 68.0 N force is applied to it in that
direction? 0.5 kg 128 m/s2
27. A rocket weighs 9800.0 N. a.) What is its mass?
b.) What applied force gives it a vertical acceleration
of 4.00 m/s2? 1000.0 kg 13,800 N
28. What applied force accelerates a 20.0 kg stone
straight up at 10.0 m/s2? 396 N
29. A force of 90.0 N is exerted straight up on a
stone that weighs 7.35 N. Calculate a.) the mass of
the stone. b.) the net force acting on the stone. c.)
the acceleration of the stone. 0.75 kg 82.65 N 110 m/s2
30. A falling bowling ball has a mass of 2.0 kg. The
upward force of air resistance is 11.6 N. What is the
acceleration of the bowling ball? -4.0 m/s2
31. A physics student weighing 600.0 N plans to
escape a burning building by sliding down an
improvised rope made of bed sheets tied together.
The maximum upward force that the sheets can exert
without tearing is 300.0 N. a.) Can the student slide
down at constant speed? b.) What is the least
acceleration with which the student can slide down
the rope? -4.9 m/s2
The Normal Force: When the two interacting
bodies are in contact with each other, the forces that
each exerts on the other is called the normal force.
Normal is the mathematical term meaning
perpendicular. In the free-body diagram, draw the
normal force perpendicular to the surface in contact
with the body being considered. A common
misconception is that the normal force is always
equal to the weight of the body. Sketch in your notes
the possible configurations for a normal force that is
net equal to the weight.
32. A person weighing 490.0 N stands on a scale in
an elevator.
a.) What does the scale read when the elevator is at
rest?
b.) The elevator starts to ascend and accelerates the
person upward at 2.0 m/s2. What is the reading on
the scale now?
c.) When the elevator reaches a desirable speed, it
no longer accelerates. What is the reading on the
scale as the elevator rises uniformly?
d.) The elevator begins to slow down as it reaches
the proper floor. Do the scale readings increase or
decrease?
e.) The elevator starts to descend. Does the scale
reading increase or decrease?
f.) What does the scale read if the elevator descends
at a constant speed?
g.) If the cable snapped and the elevator fell freely,
what would the scale read?
33. An elevator of mass 1000.0 kg is supported by a
cable that can sustain a force of 12,000.0 N. What is
the greatest upward acceleration that can be given the
elevator without breaking the cable? 2.2 m/s2
34. The mass of an elevator plus its occupants is
750.0 kg. The tension in the cable is 8950 N. At
what rate does the elevator accelerate upward?
2.1 m/s2
35. Safety engineers estimate that an elevator can
hold 20 persons of 75 kg average mass. The elevator
itself has a mass of 500.0 kg. Tensile strength tests
show that the cable supporting the elevator can
tolerate a maximum force of 29,600 N. What is the
greatest upward acceleration that the elevator’s motor
can produce without breaking the cable? 5.0 m/s2
36. The mass of an elevator plus occupants is 950.0
kg. The tension in the cable is 10,950 N. a.) At
what rate is the elevator accelerated upward? b.)
What is the normal force experienced by a 75 kg
passenger when the elevator is experiencing the
maximum upward acceleration? 1.7 m/s2 862.5 N
Conceptual Questions - Second Law:
37. If you find a body that is not moving even
though we know it to be acted on by a force. What
inference can we draw?
38. How does the weight of a falling body compare
to the air resistance just before it reaches terminal
velocity? After?
39. Suppose you place a ball in the middle of a
wagon and then accelerate the wagon forward.
Describe the motion of the ball relative to the ground
and to the wagon.
40. Why is it that a basketball dropped from the top
of the Peachtree Plaza Hotel will hit the ground at the
same speed as if it were dropped from the twentieth
floor? (After about 49.5 m, its terminal speed of
about 20 m/s is reached).
41. What is the acceleration of a rock at the top of its
trajectory when thrown straight upward? Is your
answer consistent with Newton’s Second Law?
Forces at an Angle to the Motion – Remember
Resolution of a Vector!
42. A 20.0 kg sled is pulled along level ground. The
sled’s rope makes an angle of 60.0 degrees with the
snow-covered ground and pulls on the sled with a
force of 180 N. Find the acceleration of the sled if
the friction force to be overcome is 15 N. 3.8 m/s2
43. A 10.0 kg block is pulled
up a frictionless incline that
makes an angle of 53˚ with
the horizontal. a) If the person
pulling on the string can exert
48.3 N of force, what is the
acceleration of the block?
b) What is the magnitude and
direction of the force exerted on the block by the
inclined plane? 3.0 m/s2 59 N
44. A 110 kg crate
is pushed at constant
speed up the
frictionless 34˚ ramp
shown. a) What
horizontal force
is required?
b) What is the force exerted by the ramp on the
crate? 730 N 1300 N
Remember Those Kinematic Formulas?
45. The instruments attached to a weather balloon
have a mass of 5.0 kg. a.) The balloon is released on
a calm day and exerts an upward force of 89 N on the
instruments. At what rate does the balloon with the
instruments accelerate straight up? b.) After 10.0
seconds of acceleration, the weather balloon
instruments are released automatically. What is the
magnitude and direction of their velocity at the
instant of their release? c.) What net force acts on
the instruments after their release? d.) What time
elapses before the instruments begin to fall straight
down? +8.0 m/s2 +80 m/s -49 N 8.2 s
46. An artillery shell has a mass of 8.0 kg. The shell
is fired from the muzzle of a gun with a speed of
700.0 m/s. The gun barrel is 3.5 m long. What is the
average force on the shell while it is in the gun
barrel? 5.6 x 105 N
47. A racing car has a mass of 700.0 kg. It starts
from rest and travels 120 m in 2.0 seconds. What is
the force applied to it? (Ignore friction) 4.2 x 104 N
48. A car weighing 9800.0 N travels at 30.0 m/s.
a.) What braking force brings it to rest in 100.0 m?
b.) in 10.0m ? 4500 N 45000 N
49. A rocket that weighs 7840 N on earth is fired.
The force of propulsion is 10,440 N. Determine:
a.) the mass of the rocket. b.) the upward
acceleration of the rocket. c.) the velocity of the
rocket at the end of 10 seconds.
800 kg 3.25 m/s2 32.5 m/s
50. A 60.0 kg sled is coasting (Fnet = 0 N) with a
constant velocity of 10.0 m/s over smooth ice. It
enters a rough stretch of ice 6.0 m long in which the
force of friction is 120 N. With what speed does the
sled emerge from the rough stretch of ice. 8.7 m/s
51. A 75 kg paratrooper jumping out of the back of
an airplane quickly acquires a velocity of 60.0 m/s as
he falls toward the ground and then opens his
parachute. After falling an additional 30.0 m, his
velocity has been reduced to 8.0 m/s. a.) What is the
acceleration of the paratrooper while his fall is being
“checked”? b.) What is the applied force exerted by
the parachute? 58.9 m/s2 5153 N
52. A 100 kg rocket sled was moving at a constant
speed – v. A 5000 N force acting for 20.0 seconds
opposite to the direction of its motion, slowed the
sled down to one-third v. a.) What was the value of
v? b.) How far did the sled move while it was
slowing down? 1500 m/s 20 km
53. The driver of a 600.0 kg sports car, heading
directly for a railroad crossing, 300.0 m away,
applies the brakes in a panic stop. The car is moving
at 40.0 m/s and the brakes can supply a force of 1500
N. a.) How fast will the car be moving when it
reaches the crossing? b.) Will the driver escape
collision with a freight which, at the instant the
brakes are applied, is still blocking the road and still
requires 11.0 s to clear the crossing? 10 m/s
The driver escapes collision because it takes 12.0
seconds to reach the tracks.
Two or More Body Problems:
This is analogous to the situation where two
bodies were moving when you did the kinematics
problems. If two bodies are moving, then you will
need two equations to describe their motions. If
three bodies are moving, then three equations are
needed. Write an equation of motion for each
moving body. Solve the equations simultaneously for
the unknown variables.
Although two bodies are moving, the two
bodies are attached and therefore move with the
same speed and the same acceleration. The two
bodies are treated as one system.
Usually it is necessary to determine the
acceleration of the system first:
Fnet
asystem = _______
mtotal
To find the tension in the cord connecting the bodies,
isolate one body and solve for the tension using
Newton’s Second Law.
54. Two blocks are in contact on a frictionless
horizontal table. A horizontal force is applied to one
block, as shown in the figure below. a) If m1 = 2.3
kg, m2 = 1.2 kg and F = 3.2 N, find the force of
contact between the two blocks. 1.1 N
b) Show that: if the same force F is applied to m2
rather than to m1, that the force of contact between
the blocks is 2.1 N, which is not the same value
derived in (a). Explain.
55. The figure below shows three crates with masses
m1 = 45.2 kg, m2 = 22.8 kg and m3 = 34.3 kg on a
horizontal frictionless surface. a) What horizontal
force F is needed to push the crates to the right, as
one unit, with an acceleration of 1.32 m/s2? 135 N
b) Find the force exerted by m2 on m3. 45.3 N
c) By m1 on m2. 75.4 N
56. Three blocks are connected, as shown in the
figure below, on a horizontal frictionless table and
pulled to the right with a force T3 = 6.5 N. If m1 =
1.2 kg, m2 = 2.4 kg and m3 = 3.1 kg, calculate (a) the
acceleration of the system and (b) the tensions T1 and
T2. 0.97 m/s2 T1 = 1.2 N T2 = 3.5 N
57. The two blocks in the figure to
the right are connected by a heavy,
uniform rope of mass 4 kg. An
upward force of 200 N is applied as
shown.
a) What is the acceleration of the
system? 2.7 m/s2
b) What is the tension at the top of
the heavy rope? 112.5 N
c) What is the tension at the midpoint of the rope?
87.5 N
58. If the figure to the
right, the frictional force
between the 30 kg block
and the table is negligible.
a) If the peg is removed,
what is the acceleration
of the system?
b) How long would it take
the block to hit the pulley?
c) What is the tension in the cord while the block is
moving?
d) What is the tension in the cord after the block
ceases to move? 1.4 m/s2 0.65 sec 42 N 49 N
59. Objects of mass 5.0 kg and 2.0 kg are connected
by a light cord that passes over a horizontal
frictionless rod. a.) What is the acceleration of the
system? b.) What is the tension in the cord on the
5.0 kg side? c.) What is the tension in the cord on
the 2.0 kg side? 4.2 m/s2 b = c = 28 N
60. A cord connecting objects of mass 10.0 kg and
5.0 kg passes over a light frictionless pulley. a.)
What is the acceleration of the system? b.) What is
the tension in the cord? 3.27 m/s2 65.3 N
61. Bob and Joe, two construction workers on the
roof of a building, are about to raise a bucket of nails
from the ground by means of a rope passing over a
pulley 16 m above the ground. Bob has a mass of
100.0 kg and Joe has a mass of 80.0 kg. The
bucket’s mass is 40.0 kg and the mass of the nails is
80.0 kg. They slip off the roof and the following
unfortunate sequence of events takes place: Bob and
Joe, hanging on the same rope, strike the ground just
as the bucket of nails hits the pulley. Un-nerved by
his fall, Bob lets go of the rope, and the falling
bucket of nails pulls Joe up to the roof where he
cracks his head against the pulley but manages to
hang on. However, the bottom falls out of the bucket
when it struck the ground, and the empty bucket rises
as Joe returns to the ground. Finally, Joe has had
enough and lets go of the rope and remains on the
ground only to be hit in the head by the empty
bucket. Ignoring the possible mid-air collisions
which merely add insult to injury, how long did it
take for this little drama to unfold? (To make
calculations easier, use g = -10 m/ss) 12.9 s
62. A 110 kg man lowers himself to the ground from
a height of 12 m by holding on to a rope passed over
a frictionless pulley and attached to a 74 kg sandbag.
a.) With what speed does the man hit the ground? b.)
Is there anything he could do to reduce the speed
with which he hits the ground? 6.8 m/s
Yes, he could climb the rope while falling
63. A 10 kg monkey is climbing a massless rope
attached to a 15 kg log over a (now get this –
frictionless) tree limb. a.) With what minimum
acceleration must the monkey climb up the rope so
that it can raise the 15 kg log off the ground? b.) If,
after the log has been raised off of the ground, the
monkey stops climbing and hangs on to the rope.
What will now be the monkey’s acceleration? c.)
What is the tension in the rope now that the monkey
has stopped climbing and is hanging on?
4.9 m/s2 2.0 m/s2 upward 120 N
64. A man of mass 80.0 kg stands on a platform of
mass 40.0 kg. He pulls on a rope that is fastened to
the platform and runs over a pulley on the ceiling.
With what force does he have to pull in order to give
himself and the platform and upward acceleration of
1.0 m/s2? 648 N
65. A block of mass 6.0 kg resting on a horizontal
frictionless surface is connected to a hanging 4.0 kg
block by a cord passing over a frictionless pulley.
Find the tension in the cord and the acceleration of
the blocks. 3.92 m/s2 23.52 N
66. A 6.0 kg block resting on a horizontal surface –
which is not frictionless – is connected to a hanging
block of 4.0 kg mass by a cord passing over a light,
frictionless pulley. When the system is released, the
blocks have an acceleration of 2.0 m/s2. a.) Find the
net force on each mass. b.) Find the tension in the
cord. 12 N 8 N 31.2 N
67. A block of mass m1 = 3.70 kg on a frictionless
inclined plane of angle θ = 28.0˚ is connected by a
cord over a small frictionless, massless pulley to a
second block of mass m2 = 1.86 kg hanging vertically
as in the diagram below. a) What is the acceleration
of each block? b) Find the tension in the cord.
0.217 m/s2 17.8 N
Newton’s Third Law of Motion: Whenever one
body exerts a force on another, the second body
exerts on the first a force of equal magnitude in the
opposite direction. This is also known as the law of
action and reaction or the law of interaction.
According to this law, there is no such thing
as a single force. A body can produce a force only if
there is some other body to exert its force upon.
FORCES ALWAYS OCCUR IN PAIRS! – an action
force and a reaction force. The action and reaction
forces are not on the same body.
Conceptual Questions -Third Law
1. When you push against a wall does it push against
you? Try this sometime while wearing roller skates.
2. Do you find it easier to walk on a carpeted floor
than one having a polished smooth surface? Why?
3. Use Newton's third law to explain why when
standing on a weighing scale you cannot decrease
your weight by pulling upward on your boot straps.
4. Your weight is the result of a gravitational force
of the earth on your body. What is the corresponding
reaction force?
5. As you stand on a floor, does the floor exert an
upward force against your feet? How much force
does it exert? Why are you not moved upward by
this force?

6. If you walk on a log that is floating in the water,

the log moves backward. Why?

7. Why can you exert greater force on the pedals of a

bicycle if you pull up on the handlebars?

8. Two people of equal mass attempt a tug-of-war

with a 12-meter rope while standing on frictionless
ice. When they pull on the rope, they slide toward
each other. How do their accelerations compare, and
how far does each person slide before meeting?

9. An astronaut on a "space-walk" finds that the rope

connecting him to the space capsule has broken.
Using a special space pistol, the astronaut manages to
get back to the capsule. Explain.

10. Newton's third law states that action and reaction

forces are always equal and opposite. If this is true,
why don't they always cancel one another and leave
no unbalanced force acting on any body?

11. Suppose a brick is suspended from a rigid

support by a suitable length of cord. a) What
downward force acts on the brick? b) If this force is
the action force, what is the corresponding reaction
force?

12. a) What upward force acts on the suspended

brick in Question 11? b) If this force is the action
force, what is the corresponding reaction force?

13. Two people pull upon a light wagon with equal

force in opposite directions, the wagon will not
move. Is this an example of action and reaction
pairs? Explain.