Understanding Newton's Laws

Front

Newton's First Law

Back

An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an external force.

Front

Newton's Second Law

Back

Force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma).

Front

Newton's Third Law

Back

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Front

Inertia

Back

The tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion.

Front

Example of First Law

Back

A book on a table stays at rest until pushed.

Front

Example of Second Law

Back

Pushing a car requires more force than pushing a bicycle.

Front

Example of Third Law

Back

A rocket launching as exhaust gases push down.

Front

Mass

Back

The amount of matter in an object, measured in kilograms.

Front

Force

Back

A push or pull on an object, measured in newtons (N).

Front

Acceleration

Back

The rate of change of velocity of an object.