Knowledge Points

Comprehensive guides and explanations covering Newton's Law concepts and principles.

Newton's Laws of Motion

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Deep Dive: Second Law

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Apply Newton’s Laws

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Summary

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Browse Problems

37 problems tagged with Newton's Law

P0492

Advanced Mechanics › Dynamics

Vertical Throw with Constant Air Resistance

A small ball is thrown vertically upwards. When it returns to the launching point, its speed is 3/4 of the initial speed. Assume the air resistance experienced by the ball during its motion is a constant force. Take $g = 10$ m/s².

  1. Find the ratio of the air resistance to the gravitational force.
  2. Find the ratio of the maximum height reached to the maximum height it would reach in a vacuum.
Newton's Law

P0493

Advanced Mechanics › Dynamics

Instantaneous Acceleration of Hanging Masses

As shown in the figure, three objects with masses $m_1$, $m_2$, and $m_3$ are hung in series and are initially at rest. Object 1 is attached above to an inextensible light string a. It is connected to object 2 by a light spring b, and object 2 is connected to object 3 by a light spring c. The springs are not necessarily identical.

  1. Find the acceleration of each object at the instant the string `a` is cut.
  2. Find the acceleration of the system's center of mass at that instant.
Newton's Law

P0498

Advanced Mechanics › Dynamics

Shortest Sliding Time on an Elliptical Chord

As shown in the figure, for an ellipse with semi-major axis $a$ and semi-minor axis $b$, assume the major axis is vertical. A point mass of mass $m$ slides without friction under gravity along various straight chords passing through the center of the ellipse (referred to as "diameters").

Along which "diameter" is the sliding time the shortest?
Newton's Law

P0508

Expert Mechanics › Dynamics

Instantaneous Acceleration of a Pulley System

As shown in the figure, the masses of the three objects A, B, and C are $m_A = \frac{2\sqrt{3}}{3}m$, $m_B = 2m$, and $m_C = m$, respectively. Object C is connected to sliders A and B by two ropes that pass over two light, smooth pulleys, $O_1$ and $O_2$, at the same height. Sliders A and B are on fixed, smooth inclined planes with angles 60° and 30°, respectively. The system is initially in equilibrium. An object D with mass $m_D=m$ is gently hung on a hook below object C.

  1. Find the acceleration of object A at the instant D is hung.
  2. Find the acceleration of object B at the instant D is hung.
Incline Newton's Law

P0509

Expert Mechanics › Dynamics

Wedge and Blocks System Acceleration

As shown in the figure, a triangular wedge P of mass $M$ is placed between two blocks Q1 and Q2, of mass $m_1$ and $m_2$ respectively. The blocks can slide on a horizontal plane, and the system is released from rest. The angles between the sides of the wedge and the vertical are $\alpha$ and $\beta$. All surfaces are frictionless.

Find the accelerations of the left and right blocks, Q1 and Q2.
Newton's Law

P0515

Expert Mechanics › Dynamics

Projectile Motion with Linear Air Resistance

As shown in the figure, a small ball of mass $m$ is launched horizontally from point A with an initial velocity $v_0$. Under the influence of gravity and air resistance, it lands at point B. The velocity at B is $v'_0$, directed at an angle $\theta$ below the horizontal. The air resistance is given by the formula $f = -kv$, where $k$ is a positive constant and $v$ is the ball's velocity.

  1. Find the magnitude of the final velocity, $v'_0$.
  2. Find the horizontal distance between A and B, denoted by S.
Newton's Law

P0720

Intermediate Mechanics › Rotational Motion

The "Self-Propelled" Man

A block of mass $M$ rests on a smooth, frictionless horizontal floor. A man of mass $m$ stands on top of the block. A system of two pulleys is used to accelerate the block:

  1. One pulley is fixed to the wall (left).
  2. One pulley is attached to the front of the block.
  3. A massless, inextensible rope is anchored to the wall, passes over the block's pulley, then back over the wall's pulley, and finally into the hands of the man.

The rope segments are all horizontal. The coefficient of static friction between the man's shoes and the top of the block is $\mu_s$. The man pulls the rope with a tension force $T$, causing the entire system (block + man) to accelerate towards the wall (to the left).

  1. Part A: Ideal Pulleys: Assume the pulleys are massless and frictionless.
  2. Part B: Real Pulleys: Assume both pulleys are solid disks with mass $M_p$, radius $R$, and moment of inertia $I$.
  1. Kinematic Constraint: If the man pulls a length $L$ of rope through his hands relative to his position on the block, what is the displacement $d$ of the block relative to the ground?
  2. Ideal Dynamics (Part A): Determine the acceleration $a$ of the system (man + block) in terms of $T$, $m$, and $M$.
  3. The "Slippery Shoes" Limit (Part A): Determine the maximum tension $T_{max}$ the man can apply before his shoes slip on the block. Discuss how the direction of the required friction force depends on the ratio of the masses $M$ and $m$.
  4. Kinetic Energy (Part A): What is final kinetic energy of the system after the block has moved a distance $d$ from rest?
  5. Non-Ideal Dynamics(Part B): Derive the new acceleration $a'$ of the system, taking into account the moment of inertia $I$ of both pulleys. Express your answer in terms of $T$, $m$, $M$, $I$, and $R$.
  6. Friction Comparison(Part B): Does the presence of heavy pulleys (non-zero $I$) increase or decrease the static friction force required between the man's shoes and the block to prevent slipping (compared to the ideal case in Q3)? Justify your answer physically.
Friction Newton's Law rigid body dynamics

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