6 raymond a serway, john w jewett physics for scientists and engineers with modern physics 06

16.

17.

18.

19.

Motion in Two Dimensions

building does the ball strike the ground? (b) Find the
height from which the ball was thrown. (c) How long
does it take the ball to reach a point 10.0 m below the
level of launching?
A landscape architect is planning an artificial waterfall in
a city park. Water flowing at 1.70 m/s will leave the end of
a horizontal channel at the top of a vertical wall 2.35 m
high, and from there the water falls into a pool. (a) Will
the space behind the waterfall be wide enough for a
pedestrian walkway? (b) To sell her plan to the city council, the architect wants to build a model to standard scale,
one-twelfth actual size. How fast should the water flow in
the channel in the model?
ᮡ A placekicker must kick a football from a point 36.0 m
(about 40 yards) from the goal, and half the crowd hopes
the ball will clear the crossbar, which is 3.05 m high.
When kicked, the ball leaves the ground with a speed of
20.0 m/s at an angle of 53.0° to the horizontal. (a) By
how much does the ball clear or fall short of clearing the
crossbar? (b) Does the ball approach the crossbar while
still rising or while falling?
A dive-bomber has a velocity of 280 m/s at an angle u

below the horizontal. When the altitude of the aircraft is
2.15 km, it releases a bomb, which subsequently hits a target
on the ground. The magnitude of the displacement from
the point of release of the bomb to the target is 3.25 km.
Find the angle u.
A playground is on the flat roof of a city school, 6.00 m
above the street below. The vertical wall of the building is
7.00 m high, forming a 1 m-high railing around the playground. A ball has fallen to the street below, and a
passerby returns it by launching it at an angle of 53.0°
above the horizontal at a point 24.0 m from the base of
the building wall. The ball takes 2.20 s to reach a point
vertically above the wall. (a) Find the speed at which the
ball was launched. (b) Find the vertical distance by which
the ball clears the wall. (c) Find the distance from the
wall to the point on the roof where the ball lands.
A basketball star covers 2.80 m horizontally in a jump to
dunk the ball (Fig. P4.20a). His motion through space
can be modeled precisely as that of a particle at his center
of mass, which we will define in Chapter 9. His center of
mass is at elevation 1.02 m when he leaves the floor. It
reaches a maximum height of 1.85 m above the floor and
is at elevation 0.900 m when he touches down again.
Determine (a) his time of flight (his “hang time”), (b) his
horizontal and (c) vertical velocity components at the
instant of takeoff, and (d) his takeoff angle. (e) For comparison, determine the hang time of a whitetail deer mak-

© Ray Stubblebine/Reuters/Corbis

20.

Chapter 4

Bill Lee/Dembinsky Photo Associates

94

(a)

(b)

3 = challenging;

Ⅺ = SSM/SG;

x f ϭ 0 ϩ 111.2 m>s 2 1cos 18.5°2 t
0.360 m ϭ

0.840 m ϩ 111.2 m>s 2 1sin 18.5°2t Ϫ 12 19.80 m>s2 2t 2

where t is the time at which the athlete lands after taking
off at t ϭ 0. Identify (a) his vector position and (b) his
vector velocity at the takeoff point. (c) The world longjump record is 8.95 m. How far did the athlete jump in
this problem? (d) Describe the shape of the trajectory of
his center of mass.
23. A fireworks rocket explodes at height h, the peak of its
vertical trajectory. It throws out burning fragments in all
directions, but all at the same speed v. Pellets of solidified
metal fall to the ground without air resistance. Find the
smallest angle that the final velocity of an impacting fragment makes with the horizontal.

Section 4.4 The Particle in Uniform Circular Motion
Note: Problems 10 and 12 in Chapter 6 can also be assigned
with this section and the next.
24. From information on the endpapers of this book, compute the radial acceleration of a point on the surface of
the Earth at the equator, owing to the rotation of the
Earth about its axis.
25. ᮡ The athlete shown in Figure P4.25 rotates a 1.00-kg discus along a circular path of radius 1.06 m. The maximum
speed of the discus is 20.0 m/s. Determine the magnitude
of the maximum radial acceleration of the discus.

Image not available due to copyright restrictions

26. As their booster rockets separate, space shuttle astronauts
typically feel accelerations up to 3g, where g ϭ 9.80 m/s2.
In their training, astronauts ride in a device in which they
experience such an acceleration as a centripetal acceleration. Specifically, the astronaut is fastened securely at the
end of a mechanical arm that then turns at constant

Figure P4.20

2 = intermediate;

ing a jump (Fig. P4.20b) with center-of-mass elevations
yi ϭ 1.20 m, ymax ϭ 2.50 m, and yf ϭ 0.700 m.
21. A soccer player kicks a rock horizontally off a 40.0-m-high
cliff into a pool of water. If the player hears the sound of
the splash 3.00 s later, what was the initial speed given to
the rock? Assume the speed of sound in air is 343 m/s.
22. ⅷ The motion of a human body through space can be
modeled as the motion of a particle at the body’s center

of mass, as we will study in Chapter 9. The components of
the position of an athlete’s center of mass from the beginning to the end of a certain jump are described by the
two equations

ᮡ

= ThomsonNOW;

Ⅵ = symbolic reasoning;

ⅷ = qualitative reasoning


Problems

95

speed in a horizontal circle. Determine the rotation rate,
in revolutions per second, required to give an astronaut a
centripetal acceleration of 3.00g while in circular motion
with radius 9.45 m.
27. Young David who slew Goliath experimented with slings
before tackling the giant. He found he could revolve a
sling of length 0.600 m at the rate of 8.00 rev/s. If he
increased the length to 0.900 m, he could revolve the
sling only 6.00 times per second. (a) Which rate of rotation gives the greater speed for the stone at the end of
the sling? (b) What is the centripetal acceleration of the
stone at 8.00 rev/s? (c) What is the centripetal acceleration at 6.00 rev/s?

Section 4.6 Relative Velocity and Relative Acceleration

33. A car travels due east with a speed of 50.0 km/h. Raindrops are falling at a constant speed vertically with respect
to the Earth. The traces of the rain on the side windows
of the car make an angle of 60.0° with the vertical. Find
the velocity of the rain with respect to (a) the car and
(b) the Earth.

Section 4.5 Tangential and Radial Acceleration
28. ⅷ (a) Could a particle moving with instantaneous speed
3.00 m/s on a path with radius of curvature 2.00 m have
an acceleration of magnitude 6.00 m/s2? (b) Could it
S
have 0 a 0 ϭ 4.00 m>s2? In each case, if the answer is yes,
explain how it can happen; if the answer is no, explain
why not.
29. A train slows down as it rounds a sharp horizontal turn,
slowing from 90.0 km/h to 50.0 km/h in the 15.0 s that it
takes to round the bend. The radius of the curve is 150 m.
Compute the acceleration at the moment the train speed
reaches 50.0 km/h. Assume it continues to slow down at
this time at the same rate.
30. A ball swings in a vertical circle at the end of a rope 1.50 m
long. When the ball is 36.9° past the lowest point on its
way up, its total acceleration is 1Ϫ22.5ˆi ϩ 20.2ˆj 2 m>s2. At
that instant, (a) sketch a vector diagram showing the components of its acceleration, (b) determine the magnitude
of its radial acceleration, and (c) determine the speed
and velocity of the ball.
31. Figure P4.31 represents the total acceleration of a particle
moving clockwise in a circle of radius 2.50 m at a certain
instant of time. At this instant, find (a) the radial acceleration, (b) the speed of the particle, and (c) its tangential
acceleration.

35. A river has a steady speed of 0.500 m/s. A student swims
upstream a distance of 1.00 km and swims back to the starting point. If the student can swim at a speed of 1.20 m/s
in still water, how long does the trip take? Compare this
answer with the time interval required for the trip if the
water were still.

a ϭ 15.0 m/s2
v
2.50 m

30.0Њ

a

Figure P4.31

32. A race car starts from rest on a circular track. The car
increases its speed at a constant rate at as it goes once
around the track. Find the angle that the total acceleration of the car makes—with the radius connecting the
center of the track and the car—at the moment the car
completes the circle.

2 = intermediate;

3 = challenging;

Ⅺ = SSM/SG;

ᮡ

34. Heather in her Corvette accelerates at the rate of
1300ˆi Ϫ 2.00ˆj 2 m>s2, while Jill in her Jaguar accelerates
at 11.00ˆi ϩ 3.00ˆj 2 m>s2. They both start from rest at the
origin of an xy coordinate system. After 5.00 s, (a) what is
Heather’s speed with respect to Jill, (b) how far apart are
they, and (c) what is Heather’s acceleration relative to Jill?

36. How long does it take an automobile traveling in the left
lane at 60.0 km/h to pull alongside a car traveling in the
same direction in the right lane at 40.0 km/h if the cars’
front bumpers are initially 100 m apart?
37. Two swimmers, Alan and Beth, start together at the same
point on the bank of a wide stream that flows with a
speed v. Both move at the same speed c (where c Ͼ v),
relative to the water. Alan swims downstream a distance L
and then upstream the same distance. Beth swims so that
her motion relative to the Earth is perpendicular to the
banks of the stream. She swims the distance L and then
back the same distance so that both swimmers return to
the starting point. Which swimmer returns first? Note: First
guess the answer.
38. ⅷ A farm truck moves due north with a constant velocity
of 9.50 m/s on a limitless horizontal stretch of road. A
boy riding on the back of the truck throws a can of soda
upward and catches the projectile at the same location on
the truck bed, but 16.0 m farther down the road. (a) In
the frame of reference of the truck, at what angle to the
vertical does the boy throw the can? (b) What is the initial
speed of the can relative to the truck? (c) What is the

shape of the can’s trajectory as seen by the boy? (d) An
observer on the ground watches the boy throw the can
and catch it. In this observer’s ground frame of reference,
describe the shape of the can’s path and determine the
initial velocity of the can.
39. A science student is riding on a flatcar of a train traveling
along a straight horizontal track at a constant speed of
10.0 m/s. The student throws a ball into the air along a
path that he judges to make an initial angle of 60.0° with
the horizontal and to be in line with the track. The student’s professor, who is standing on the ground nearby,
observes the ball to rise vertically. How high does she see
the ball rise?
40. ⅷ A bolt drops from the ceiling of a moving train car that
is accelerating northward at a rate of 2.50 m/s2. (a) What
is the acceleration of the bolt relative to the train car?
(b) What is the acceleration of the bolt relative to the
Earth? (c) Describe the trajectory of the bolt as seen by

= ThomsonNOW;

Ⅵ = symbolic reasoning;

ⅷ = qualitative reasoning


Chapter 4

Motion in Two Dimensions

an observer inside the train car. (d) Describe the trajectory of the bolt as seen by an observer fixed on the Earth.

41. A Coast Guard cutter detects an unidentified ship at a distance of 20.0 km in the direction 15.0° east of north. The
ship is traveling at 26.0 km/h on a course at 40.0° east of
north. The Coast Guard wishes to send a speedboat to
intercept the vessel and investigate it. If the speedboat
travels 50.0 km/h, in what direction should it head?
Express the direction as a compass bearing with respect to
due north.

Altitude, ft

Additional Problems
42. The “Vomit Comet.” In zero-gravity astronaut training and
equipment testing, NASA flies a KC135A aircraft along a
parabolic flight path. As shown in Figure P4.42, the aircraft climbs from 24 000 ft to 31 000 ft, where it enters
the zero-g parabola with a velocity of 143 m/s nose high
at 45.0° and exits with velocity 143 m/s at 45.0° nose low.
During this portion of the flight, the aircraft and objects
inside its padded cabin are in free fall; they have gone
ballistic. The aircraft then pulls out of the dive with an
upward acceleration of 0.800g, moving in a vertical circle
with radius 4.13 km. (During this portion of the flight,
occupants of the aircraft perceive an acceleration of 1.8g.)
What are the aircraft’s (a) speed and (b) altitude at the
top of the maneuver? (c) What is the time interval spent
in zero gravity? (d) What is the speed of the aircraft at the
bottom of the flight path?
43. An athlete throws a basketball upward from the ground,
giving it speed 10.6 m/s at an angle of 55.0° above the
horizontal. (a) What is the acceleration of the basketball
at the highest point in its trajectory? (b) On its way down,

the basketball hits the rim of the basket, 3.05 m above the
floor. It bounces straight up with one-half the speed with
which it hit the rim. What height above the floor does the
basketball reach on this bounce?
44. ⅷ (a) An athlete throws a basketball toward the east, with
initial speed 10.6 m/s at an angle of 55.0° above the horizontal. Just as the basketball reaches the highest point of
its trajectory, it hits an eagle (the mascot of the opposing
team) flying horizontally west. The ball bounces back horizontally west with 1.50 times the speed it had just before
their collision. How far behind the player who threw it
does the ball land? (b) This situation is not covered in the

45Њ nose high

31000

rule book, so the officials turn the clock back to repeat
this part of the game. The player throws the ball in the
same way. The eagle is thoroughly annoyed and this time
intercepts the ball so that, at the same point in its trajectory, the ball again bounces from the bird’s beak with 1.50
times its impact speed, moving west at some nonzero
angle with the horizontal. Now the ball hits the player’s
head, at the same location where her hands had released
it. Is the angle necessarily positive (that is, above the horizontal), necessarily negative (below the horizontal), or
could it be either? Give a convincing argument, either
mathematical or conceptual, for your answer.
45. Manny Ramírez hits a home run so that the baseball just
clears the top row of bleachers, 21.0 m high, located 130 m
from home plate. The ball is hit at an angle of 35.0° to
the horizontal, and air resistance is negligible. Find (a) the
initial speed of the ball, (b) the time interval required for

the ball to reach the bleachers, and (c) the velocity components and the speed of the ball when it passes over the
top row. Assume the ball is hit at a height of 1.00 m above
the ground.
46. As some molten metal splashes, one droplet flies off to
the east with initial velocity vi at angle ui above the horizontal and another droplet flies off to the west with the
same speed at the same angle above the horizontal as
shown in Figure P4.46. In terms of vi and ui, find the distance between the droplets as a function of time.

vi

vi

ui

ui

Figure P4.46

47. A pendulum with a cord of length r ϭ 1.00 m swings in a
vertical plane (Fig. P4.47). When the pendulum is in the
two horizontal positions u ϭ 90.0° and u ϭ 270°, its speed is
5.00 m/s. (a) Find the magnitude of the radial acceleration
and tangential acceleration for these positions. (b) Draw
vector diagrams to determine the direction of the total
acceleration for these two positions. (c) Calculate the magnitude and direction of the total acceleration.

45Њ nose low

r
24 000

Zero g

1.8g

1.8g

0

Courtesy of NASA

96

65
Maneuver time, s
(a)

(b)
Figure P4.42

2 = intermediate;

3 = challenging;

Ⅺ = SSM/SG;

ᮡ

= ThomsonNOW;

Ⅵ = symbolic reasoning;

ⅷ = qualitative reasoning


Problems

97

no bounce (green path)? (b) Determine the ratio of the
time interval for the one-bounce throw to the flight time
for the no-bounce throw.
u
r
g
ar

a

u

f

45.0Њ

u

D
at

Figure P4.51

Figure P4.47

48. An astronaut on the surface of the Moon fires a cannon
to launch an experiment package, which leaves the barrel
moving horizontally. (a) What must be the muzzle speed
of the package so that it travels completely around the
Moon and returns to its original location? (b) How long
does this trip around the Moon take? Assume the free-fall
acceleration on the Moon is one-sixth of that on the
Earth.
49. ⅷ A projectile is launched from the point (x ϭ 0, y ϭ 0)
with velocity 112.0ˆi ϩ 49.0ˆj 2 m/s, at t ϭ 0. (a) Make a
S
table listing the projectile’s distance 0 r 0 from the origin at
the end of each second thereafter, for 0 Յ t Յ 10 s. Tabulating the x and y coordinates and the components of
velocity vx and vy may also be useful. (b) Observe that the
projectile’s distance from its starting point increases with
time, goes through a maximum, and starts to decrease.
Prove that the distance is a maximum when the position
vector is perpendicular to the velocity. Suggestion: Argue
S
S
S
that if v is not perpendicular to r , then 0 r 0 must be
increasing or decreasing. (c) Determine the magnitude
of the maximum distance. Explain your method.
50. ⅷ A spring cannon is located at the edge of a table that
is 1.20 m above the floor. A steel ball is launched from

the cannon with speed v0 at 35.0° above the horizontal.
(a) Find the horizontal displacement component of the
ball to the point where it lands on the floor as a function
of v0. We write this function as x(v0). Evaluate x for (b) v0 ϭ
0.100 m/s and for (c) v0 ϭ 100 m/s. (d) Assume v0 is
close to zero but not equal to zero. Show that one term in
the answer to part (a) dominates so that the function x(v0)
reduces to a simpler form. (e) If v0 is very large, what is
the approximate form of x(v0)? (f) Describe the overall
shape of the graph of the function x(v0). Suggestion: As
practice, you could do part (b) before doing part (a).
51. When baseball players throw the ball in from the outfield,
they usually allow it to take one bounce before it reaches
the infield on the theory that the ball arrives sooner that
way. Suppose the angle at which a bounced ball leaves the
ground is the same as the angle at which the outfielder
threw it as shown in Figure P4.51, but the ball’s speed
after the bounce is one-half of what it was before the
bounce. (a) Assume the ball is always thrown with the
same initial speed. At what angle u should the fielder
throw the ball to make it go the same distance D with one
bounce (blue path) as a ball thrown upward at 45.0° with

2 = intermediate;

3 = challenging;

Ⅺ = SSM/SG;

ᮡ

52. A truck loaded with cannonball watermelons stops suddenly to avoid running over the edge of a washed-out
bridge (Fig. P4.52). The quick stop causes a number of
melons to fly off the truck. One melon rolls over the edge
with an initial speed vi ϭ 10.0 m/s in the horizontal direction. A cross section of the bank has the shape of the bottom half of a parabola with its vertex at the edge of the
road and with the equation y2 ϭ 16x, where x and y are
measured in meters. What are the x and y coordinates of
the melon when it splatters on the bank?

vi ϭ 10 m/s

Figure P4.52

53. Your grandfather is copilot of a bomber, flying horizontally over level terrain, with a speed of 275 m/s relative to
the ground, at an altitude of 3 000 m. (a) The bombardier releases one bomb. How far will the bomb travel
horizontally between its release and its impact on the
ground? Ignore the effects of air resistance. (b) Firing
from the people on the ground suddenly incapacitates
the bombardier before he can call, “Bombs away!” Consequently, the pilot maintains the plane’s original course,
altitude, and speed through a storm of flak. Where will
the plane be when the bomb hits the ground? (c) The
plane has a telescopic bombsight set so that the bomb hits
the target seen in the sight at the moment of release. At
what angle from the vertical was the bombsight set?
54. A person standing at the top of a hemispherical rock of
radius R kicks a ball (initially at rest on the top of the
S
rock) to give it horizontal velocity vi as shown in Figure
P4.54. (a) What must be its minimum initial speed if the
ball is never to hit the rock after it is kicked? (b) With this

initial speed, how far from the base of the rock does the
ball hit the ground?

= ThomsonNOW;

Ⅵ = symbolic reasoning;

ⅷ = qualitative reasoning


98

Chapter 4

Motion in Two Dimensions

vi

R

x

Figure P4.54

55. A hawk is flying horizontally at 10.0 m/s in a straight line,
200 m above the ground. A mouse it has been carrying
struggles free from its talons. The hawk continues on its
path at the same speed for 2.00 s before attempting to
retrieve its prey. To accomplish the retrieval, it dives in a
straight line at constant speed and recaptures the mouse

3.00 m above the ground. (a) Assuming no air resistance
acts on the mouse, find the diving speed of the hawk.
(b) What angle did the hawk make with the horizontal
during its descent? (c) For how long did the mouse
“enjoy” free fall?
56. The determined coyote is out once more in pursuit of the
elusive roadrunner. The coyote wears a pair of Acme jetpowered roller skates, which provide a constant horizontal
acceleration of 15.0 m/s2 (Fig. P4.56). The coyote starts at
rest 70.0 m from the brink of a cliff at the instant the roadrunner zips past in the direction of the cliff. (a) Assuming the roadrunner moves with constant speed, determine
the minimum speed it must have to reach the cliff before
the coyote. At the edge of the cliff, the roadrunner
escapes by making a sudden turn, while the coyote continues straight ahead. The coyote’s skates remain horizontal
and continue to operate while the coyote is in flight, so
its acceleration while in the air is 115.0ˆi Ϫ 9.80ˆj 2 m>s2.
(b) The cliff is 100 m above the flat floor of a canyon. Determine where the coyote lands in the canyon.
(c) Determine the components of the coyote’s impact
velocity.
Coyote Roadrunner
stupidus delightus EP
BE
BEE
P

Figure P4.56

57.

ᮡ

A car is parked on a steep incline overlooking the

ocean, where the incline makes an angle of 37.0° below
the horizontal. The negligent driver leaves the car in neutral, and the parking brakes are defective. Starting from
rest at t ϭ 0, the car rolls down the incline with a constant
acceleration of 4.00 m/s2, traveling 50.0 m to the edge of
a vertical cliff. The cliff is 30.0 m above the ocean. Find
(a) the speed of the car when it reaches the edge of the
cliff and the time interval elapsed when it arrives there,

2 = intermediate;

3 = challenging;

Ⅺ = SSM/SG;

ᮡ

(b) the velocity of the car when it lands in the ocean,
(c) the total time interval that the car is in motion, and
(d) the position of the car when it lands in the ocean, relative to the base of the cliff.
58. ⅷ Do not hurt yourself; do not strike your hand against
anything. Within these limitations, describe what you do
to give your hand a large acceleration. Compute an orderof-magnitude estimate of this acceleration, stating the
quantities you measure or estimate and their values.
59. ⅷ A skier leaves the ramp of a ski jump with a velocity of
10.0 m/s, 15.0° above the horizontal, as shown in Figure
P4.59. The slope is inclined at 50.0°, and air resistance is
negligible. Find (a) the distance from the ramp to where
the jumper lands and (b) the velocity components just
before the landing. (How do you think the results might
be affected if air resistance were included? Note that

jumpers lean forward in the shape of an airfoil, with their
hands at their sides, to increase their distance. Why does
this method work?)

10.0 m/s
15.0Њ

50.0Њ
Figure P4.59

60. An angler sets out upstream from Metaline Falls on the
Pend Oreille River in northwestern Washington State. His
small boat, powered by an outboard motor, travels at a
constant speed v in still water. The water flows at a lower
constant speed vw. He has traveled upstream for 2.00 km
when his ice chest falls out of the boat. He notices that
the chest is missing only after he has gone upstream for
another 15.0 min. At that point, he turns around and
heads back downstream, all the time traveling at the same
speed relative to the water. He catches up with the floating ice chest just as it is about to go over the falls at his
starting point. How fast is the river flowing? Solve this
problem in two ways. (a) First, use the Earth as a reference frame. With respect to the Earth, the boat travels
upstream at speed v Ϫ vw and downstream at v ϩ vw. (b) A
second much simpler and more elegant solution is
obtained by using the water as the reference frame. This
approach has important applications in many more complicated problems; examples are calculating the motion
of rockets and satellites and analyzing the scattering of
subatomic particles from massive targets.
61. An enemy ship is on the east side of a mountainous island
as shown in Figure P4.61. The enemy ship has maneuvered to within 2 500 m of the 1 800-m-high mountain

peak and can shoot projectiles with an initial speed of
250 m/s. If the western shoreline is horizontally 300 m
from the peak, what are the distances from the western
shore at which a ship can be safe from the bombardment
of the enemy ship?

= ThomsonNOW;

Ⅵ = symbolic reasoning;

ⅷ = qualitative reasoning


Answers to Quick Quizzes

v i ϭ 250 m/s

vi

99

1 800 m

uH uL

2 500 m

300 m

Figure P4.61

62. In the What If? section of Example 4.5, it was claimed
that the maximum range of a ski jumper occurs for a
launch angle u given by

u ϭ 45° Ϫ

where f is the angle that the hill makes with the horizontal in Figure 4.14. Prove this claim by deriving this
equation.

f
2

Answers to Quick Quizzes
4.1 (a). Because acceleration occurs whenever the velocity
changes in any way—with an increase or decrease in
speed, a change in direction, or both—all three controls
are accelerators. The gas pedal causes the car to speed up;
the brake pedal causes the car to slow down. The steering
wheel changes the direction of the velocity vector.
4.2 (i), (b). At only one point—the peak of the trajectory—
are the velocity and acceleration vectors perpendicular to
each other. The velocity vector is horizontal at that point,
and the acceleration vector is downward. (ii), (a). The
acceleration vector is always directed downward. The
velocity vector is never vertical and parallel to the acceleration vector if the object follows a path such as that in Figure 4.8.
4.3 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°. The greater the maximum height,
the longer it takes the projectile to reach that altitude
and then fall back down from it. So, as the launch angle
increases, the time of flight increases.

4.4 (i), (d). Because the centripetal acceleration is proportional to the square of the speed of the particle, doubling
the speed increases the acceleration by a factor of 4. (ii),
(b). The period is inversely proportional to the speed of
the particle.

2 = intermediate;

3 = challenging;

Ⅺ = SSM/SG;

ᮡ

4.5 (i), (b). The velocity vector is tangent to the path. If the
acceleration vector is to be parallel to the velocity vector,
it must also be tangent to the path, which requires that
the acceleration vector have no component perpendicular to the path. If the path were to change direction, the
acceleration vector would have a radial component, perpendicular to the path. Therefore, the path must remain
straight. (ii), (d). If the acceleration vector is to be perpendicular to the velocity vector, it must have no component tangent to the path. On the other hand, if the speed
is changing, there must be a component of the acceleration tangent to the path. Therefore, the velocity and
acceleration vectors are never perpendicular in this situation. They can only be perpendicular if there is no
change in the speed.

= ThomsonNOW;

Ⅵ = symbolic reasoning;

ⅷ = qualitative reasoning

5.1

The Concept of Force

5.6

Newton’s Third Law

5.2

Newton’s First Law and
Inertial Frames

5.7

Some Applications of
Newton’s Laws

5.3

Mass

5.8

Forces of Friction

5.4

Newton’s Second Law

5.5

The Gravitational Force
and Weight

A small tugboat exerts a force on a large ship, causing it to move. How can
such a small boat move such a large object? (Steve Raymer/CORBIS)

5

The Laws of Motion
In Chapters 2 and 4, we described the motion of an object in terms of its position,
velocity, and acceleration without considering what might influence that motion.
Now we consider the external influence: What might cause one object to remain
at rest and another object to accelerate? The two main factors we need to consider
are the forces acting on an object and the mass of the object. In this chapter, we
begin our study of dynamics by discussing the three basic laws of motion, which
deal with forces and masses and were formulated more than three centuries ago
by Isaac Newton.

5.1

The Concept of Force

Everyone has a basic understanding of the concept of force from everyday experience. When you push your empty dinner plate away, you exert a force on it. Similarly, you exert a force on a ball when you throw or kick it. In these examples, the
word force refers to an interaction with an object by means of muscular activity and
some change in the object’s velocity. Forces do not always cause motion, however.
For example, when you are sitting, a gravitational force acts on your body and yet
you remain stationary. As a second example, you can push (in other words, exert a
force) on a large boulder and not be able to move it.

What force (if any) causes the Moon to orbit the Earth? Newton answered this
and related questions by stating that forces are what cause any change in the velocity of an object. The Moon’s velocity is not constant because it moves in a nearly
circular orbit around the Earth. This change in velocity is caused by the gravitational force exerted by the Earth on the Moon.
100


Section 5.1

The Concept of Force

101

Contact forces

(a)

(b)

(c)

Field forces

m

M

(d)

–q

+Q

Iron

N

(e)

S

(f)

When a coiled spring is pulled, as in Figure 5.1a, the spring stretches. When a
stationary cart is pulled, as in Figure 5.1b, the cart moves. When a football is
kicked, as in Figure 5.1c, it is both deformed and set in motion. These situations
are all examples of a class of forces called contact forces. That is, they involve physical contact between two objects. Other examples of contact forces are the force
exerted by gas molecules on the walls of a container and the force exerted by your
feet on the floor.
Another class of forces, known as field forces, does not involve physical contact
between two objects. These forces act through empty space. The gravitational
force of attraction between two objects with mass, illustrated in Figure 5.1d, is an
example of this class of force. The gravitational force keeps objects bound to the
Earth and the planets in orbit around the Sun. Another common field force is the
electric force that one electric charge exerts on another (Fig. 5.1e). As an example, these charges might be those of the electron and proton that form a hydrogen atom. A third example of a field force is the force a bar magnet exerts on a
piece of iron (Fig. 5.1f).
The distinction between contact forces and field forces is not as sharp as you may
have been led to believe by the previous discussion. When examined at the atomic
level, all the forces we classify as contact forces turn out to be caused by electric
(field) forces of the type illustrated in Figure 5.1e. Nevertheless, in developing models for macroscopic phenomena, it is convenient to use both classifications of forces.
The only known fundamental forces in nature are all field forces: (1) gravitational

forces between objects, (2) electromagnetic forces between electric charges, (3) strong
forces between subatomic particles, and (4) weak forces that arise in certain radioactive
decay processes. In classical physics, we are concerned only with gravitational and
electromagnetic forces. We will discuss strong and weak forces in Chapter 46.

The Vector Nature of Force
It is possible to use the deformation of a spring to measure force. Suppose a vertical force is applied to a spring scale that has a fixed upper end as shown in Figure
5.2a (page 102). The spring elongates when the force is applied, and a pointer on
the scale reads the value
of the applied force. We can calibrate the spring by definS
ing a reference force F1 as the force that produces
a pointer reading of 1.00 cm. If
S
we now apply a different
downward
force
whose
magnitude is twice that of the
F
2
S
reference force F1 as seen in Figure 5.2b, the pointer moves to 2.00 cm. Figure
5.2c shows that the combined effect of the two collinear forces is the sum of the
effects of the individual forces.
S
Now suppose the two forces are applied simultaneously with F1 downward and
S
F2 horizontal as illustrated in Figure 5.2d. In this case, the pointer reads 2.24 cm.

Giraudon/Art Resource

Figure 5.1 Some examples of applied forces. In each case, a force is exerted on the object within the boxed area. Some agent in the environment
external to the boxed area exerts a force on the object.

ISAAC NEWTON
English physicist and mathematician
(1642–1727)
Isaac Newton was one of the most brilliant scientists in history. Before the age of 30, he formulated the basic concepts and laws of
mechanics, discovered the law of universal
gravitation, and invented the mathematical
methods of calculus. As a consequence of his
theories, Newton was able to explain the
motions of the planets, the ebb and flow of the
tides, and many special features of the motions
of the Moon and the Earth. He also interpreted
many fundamental observations concerning
the nature of light. His contributions to physical
theories dominated scientific thought for two
centuries and remain important today.


0
1
2
3
4

3

0

1
2
3
4

4

0
1
2
3
4

0

The Laws of Motion

1

Chapter 5

2

102

F2
u
F1

F1

F2
(a)

(b)

F1

F

F2
(c)

(d)
S

Figure 5.2 The vector nature of a force isStested with a spring scale. (a) A downwardSforce FS1 elongates
the spring 1.00 cm. (b) A downward force F2 elongates the spring 2.00
cm. (c) When F1 Sand F2 are
S
applied simultaneously, the spring elongates by 3.00 cm. (d) When F1 is downward and F2 is horizontal,
the combination of the two forces elongates the spring 2.24 cm.

S

F that would produce this same reading
The Ssingle force
is the sum of the two vecS
S
tors F1 and F2 as described in Figure 5.2d. That is, 0 F 0 ϭ 1F 12 ϩ F 22 ϭ 2.24 units,
and its direction is u ϭ tanϪ1(Ϫ0.500) ϭ Ϫ26.6°. Because forces have been experimentally verified to behave as vectors, you must use the rules of vector addition

to obtain the net force on an object.

5.2

Newton’s First Law and Inertial Frames

We begin our study of forces by imagining some physical situations involving a
puck on a perfectly level air hockey table (Fig. 5.3). You expect that the puck will
remain where it is placed. Now imagine your air hockey table is located on a train
moving with constant velocity along a perfectly smooth track. If the puck is placed
on the table, the puck again remains where it is placed. If the train were to accelerate, however, the puck would start moving along the table opposite the direction
of the train’s acceleration, just as a set of papers on your dashboard falls onto the
front seat of your car when you step on the accelerator.
As we saw in Section 4.6, a moving object can be observed from any number of
reference frames. Newton’s first law of motion, sometimes called the law of inertia,
defines a special set of reference frames called inertial frames. This law can be
stated as follows:

Air flow

Electric blower
Figure 5.3 On an air hockey table,
air blown through holes in the surface allows the puck to move almost
without friction. If the table is not
accelerating, a puck placed on the
table will remain at rest.

Newton’s first law

ᮣ

If an object does not interact with other objects, it is possible to identify a reference frame in which the object has zero acceleration.

Inertial frame of reference

ᮣ

Such a reference frame is called an inertial frame of reference. When the puck is
on the air hockey table located on the ground, you are observing it from an inertial reference frame; there are no horizontal interactions of the puck with any
other objects, and you observe it to have zero acceleration in that direction. When
you are on the train moving at constant velocity, you are also observing the puck
from an inertial reference frame. Any reference frame that moves with constant
velocity relative to an inertial frame is itself an inertial frame. When you and the
train accelerate, however, you are observing the puck from a noninertial reference
frame because the train is accelerating relative to the inertial reference frame of
the Earth’s surface. While the puck appears to be accelerating according to your
observations, a reference frame can be identified in which the puck has zero acceleration. For example, an observer standing outside the train on the ground sees
the puck moving with the same velocity as the train had before it started to accel-


Section 5.3

erate (because there is almost no friction to “tie” the puck and the train together).
Therefore, Newton’s first law is still satisfied even though your observations as a
rider on the train show an apparent acceleration relative to you.
A reference frame that moves with constant velocity relative to the distant stars
is the best approximation of an inertial frame, and for our purposes we can consider the Earth as being such a frame. The Earth is not really an inertial frame
because of its orbital motion around the Sun and its rotational motion about its
own axis, both of which involve centripetal accelerations. These accelerations are
small compared with g, however, and can often be neglected. For this reason, we

model the Earth as an inertial frame, along with any other frame attached to it.
Let us assume we are observing an object from an inertial reference frame. (We
will return to observations made in noninertial reference frames in Section 6.3.)
Before about 1600, scientists believed that the natural state of matter was the state
of rest. Observations showed that moving objects eventually stopped moving.
Galileo was the first to take a different approach to motion and the natural state of
matter. He devised thought experiments and concluded that it is not the nature of
an object to stop once set in motion: rather, it is its nature to resist changes in its
motion. In his words, “Any velocity once imparted to a moving body will be rigidly
maintained as long as the external causes of retardation are removed.” For example, a spacecraft drifting through empty space with its engine turned off will keep
moving forever. It would not seek a “natural state” of rest.
Given our discussion of observations made from inertial reference frames, we
can pose a more practical statement of Newton’s first law of motion:
In the absence of external forces and when viewed from an inertial reference
frame, an object at rest remains at rest and an object in motion continues in
motion with a constant velocity (that is, with a constant speed in a straight
line).

Mass

PITFALL PREVENTION 5.1
Newton’s First Law
Newton’s first law does not say what
happens for an object with zero net
force, that is, multiple forces that
cancel; it says what happens in the
absence of external forces. This subtle
but important difference allows us
to define force as that which causes
a change in the motion. The

description of an object under the
effect of forces that balance is covered by Newton’s second law.

ᮤ

Another statement of
Newton’s first law

ᮤ

Definition of mass

In other words, when no force acts on an object, the acceleration of the object is
zero. From the first law, we conclude that any isolated object (one that does not
interact with its environment) is either at rest or moving with constant velocity.
The tendency of an object to resist any attempt to change its velocity is called inertia. Given the statement of the first law above, we can conclude that an object that
is accelerating must be experiencing a force. In turn, from the first law, we can
define force as that which causes a change in motion of an object.

Quick Quiz 5.1 Which of the following statements is correct? (a) It is possible
for an object to have motion in the absence of forces on the object. (b) It is possible to have forces on an object in the absence of motion of the object. (c) Neither
(a) nor (b) is correct. (d) Both (a) and (b) are correct.

5.3

Mass

Imagine playing catch with either a basketball or a bowling ball. Which ball is
more likely to keep moving when you try to catch it? Which ball requires more
effort to throw it? The bowling ball requires more effort. In the language of

physics, we say that the bowling ball is more resistant to changes in its velocity than
the basketball. How can we quantify this concept?
Mass is that property of an object that specifies how much resistance an object
exhibits to changes in its velocity, and as we learned in Section 1.1 the SI unit of
mass is the kilogram. Experiments show that the greater the mass of an object, the
less that object accelerates under the action of a given applied force.
To describe mass quantitatively, we conduct experiments in which we compare
the accelerations a given force produces on different objects. Suppose a force actS
ing on an object of mass m1 produces an acceleration a1, and the same force acting

103


104

Chapter 5

The Laws of Motion
S

on an object of mass m2 produces an acceleration a2. The ratio of the two masses
is defined as the inverse ratio of the magnitudes of the accelerations produced by
the force:
m1
a2
ϵ
m2
a1

Mass and weight are

different quantities

ᮣ

For example, if a given force acting on a 3-kg object produces an acceleration
of 4 m/s2, the same force applied to a 6-kg object produces an acceleration of 2 m/s2.
According to a huge number of similar observations, we conclude that the magnitude of the acceleration of an object is inversely proportional to its mass when
acted on by a given force. If one object has a known mass, the mass of the other
object can be obtained from acceleration measurements.
Mass is an inherent property of an object and is independent of the object’s
surroundings and of the method used to measure it. Also, mass is a scalar quantity
and thus obeys the rules of ordinary arithmetic. For example, if you combine a 3-kg
mass with a 5-kg mass, the total mass is 8 kg. This result can be verified experimentally by comparing the acceleration that a known force gives to several objects separately with the acceleration that the same force gives to the same objects combined as one unit.
Mass should not be confused with weight. Mass and weight are two different
quantities. The weight of an object is equal to the magnitude of the gravitational
force exerted on the object and varies with location (see Section 5.5). For example, a person weighing 180 lb on the Earth weighs only about 30 lb on the Moon.
On the other hand, the mass of an object is the same everywhere: an object having
a mass of 2 kg on the Earth also has a mass of 2 kg on the Moon.

5.4

PITFALL PREVENTION 5.2
Force Is the Cause of Changes in Motion
Force does not cause motion. We
can have motion in the absence
of forces as described in Newton’s
first law. Force is the cause of
changes in motion as measured
by acceleration.

(5.1)

Newton’s Second Law

Newton’s first law explains what happens to an object when no forces act on it: it
either remains at rest or moves in a straight line with constant speed. Newton’s second law answers the question of what happens to an object that has one or more
forces acting on it.
Imagine performing an experiment in which you push a block of fixed mass
S
across a frictionless horizontal surface. When you exert some horizontal force F on
S
the block, it moves with some acceleration a. If you apply a force twice as great on
the same block,
the acceleration of the block doubles. If you increase the applied
S
force to 3F, the acceleration triples, and so on. From such observations, we conclude that
the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the force acting
S
S
on it: F ϰ a. This idea was first introduced in Section 2.4 when we discussed the
direction of the acceleration of an object. The magnitude of the acceleration of an
object is inversely proportional to its mass, as stated in the preceding section:
0 Sa 0 ϰ 1>m.
These experimental observations are summarized in Newton’s second law:
When viewed from an inertial reference frame, the acceleration of an object
is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass:
S

aF
aϰ

m

S

If we choose a proportionality constant of 1, we can relate mass, acceleration,
and force through the following mathematical statement of Newton’s second law:1
Newton’s second law

S

a F ϭ ma

ᮣ
1

S

(5.2)

Equation 5.2 is valid only when the speed of the object is much less than the speed of light. We treat
the relativistic situation in Chapter 39.


Section 5.4

105

Newton’s Second Law

In both the textual and mathematical statements of Newton’s

second law, we have
S
indicated that the acceleration is due to the net force ͚ F acting on an object. The
net force on an object is the vector sum of all forces acting on the object. (We
sometimes refer to the net force as the total force, the resultant force, or the unbalanced force.) In solving a problem using Newton’s second law, it is imperative to
determine the correct net force on an object. Many forces may be acting on an
object, but there is only one acceleration.
Equation 5.2 is a vector expression and hence is equivalent to three component
equations:
a Fx ϭ max ¬¬a Fy ϭ may¬¬a Fz ϭ maz

(5.3)

Quick Quiz 5.2 An object experiences no acceleration. Which of the following
cannot be true for the object? (a) A single force acts on the object. (b) No forces
act on the object. (c) Forces act on the object, but the forces cancel.
Quick Quiz 5.3 You push an object, initially at rest, across a frictionless floor

with a constant force for a time interval ⌬t, resulting in a final speed of v for the
object. You then repeat the experiment, but with a force that is twice as large. What
time interval is now required to reach the same final speed v? (a) 4⌬t (b) 2⌬t
(c) ⌬t (d) ⌬t/2 (e) ⌬t/4
The SI unit of force is the newton (N). A force of 1 N is the force that, when
acting on an object of mass 1 kg, produces an acceleration of 1 m/s2. From this
definition and Newton’s second law, we see that the newton can be expressed in
terms of the following fundamental units of mass, length, and time:
1 N ϵ 1 kg # m>s2

(5.4)

ᮤ

Newton’s second law:
component form

PITFALL PREVENTION 5.3
S
ma Is Not a Force
Equation 5.2 does not say that the
S
product m a is a force. All forces on
an object are added vectorially to
generate the net force on the left
side of the equation. This net force
is then equated to the product of
the mass of the object and the
acceleration that results from the
S
net force. Do not include an “m a
force” in your analysis of the forces
on an object.

ᮤ

Definition of the newton

In the U.S. customary system, the unit of force is the pound (lb). A force of 1 lb
is the force that, when acting on a 1-slug mass,2 produces an acceleration of
1 ft/s2:
1 lb ϵ 1 slug # ft>s2

(5.5)

A convenient approximation is 1 N Ϸ 14 lb.

E XA M P L E 5 . 1

An Accelerating Hockey Puck

A hockey puck having a mass of 0.30 kg slides on the horizontal, frictionless
surface of an ice rink. Two hockey sticks strike the puck simultaneously,
exertS
ing the forces on the puck
shown
in
Figure
5.4.
The
force
has
a
magnitude
F
1
S
of 5.0 N, and the force F2 has a magnitude of 8.0 N. Determine both the magnitude and the direction of the puck’s acceleration.
SOLUTION
Conceptualize Study Figure 5.4. Using your expertise in vector addition from
Chapter 3, predict the approximate direction of the net force vector on the
puck. The acceleration of the puck will be in the same direction.

y
F2
F1 = 5.0 N
F2 = 8.0 N
60Њ
x
20Њ
F1

Categorize Because we can determine a net force and we want an acceleration, this problem is categorized as one that may be solved using Newton’s second law.
2

The slug is the unit of mass in the U.S. customary system and is that system’s counterpart of the SI
unit the kilogram. Because most of the calculations in our study of classical mechanics are in SI units,
the slug is seldom used in this text.

Figure 5.4 (Example 5.1) A hockey
puck moving on a frictionless
surface
S
S
is subject to two forces F1 and F2.


106

Chapter 5

The Laws of Motion

Analyze Find the component of the net force acting
on the puck in the x direction:

a Fx ϭ F1x ϩ F2x ϭ F1 cos 1Ϫ20°2 ϩ F2 cos 60°
ϭ 15.0 N2 10.940 2 ϩ 18.0 N2 10.5002 ϭ 8.7 N

Find the component of the net force acting on the puck
in the y direction:

a Fy ϭ F1y ϩ F2y ϭ F1 sin 1Ϫ20°2 ϩ F2 sin 60°
ϭ 15.0 N2 1Ϫ0.3422 ϩ 18.0 N2 10.866 2 ϭ 5.2 N

Use Newton’s second law in component form (Eq. 5.3) to
find the x and y components of the puck’s acceleration:

Find the magnitude of the acceleration:
Find the direction of the acceleration relative to the
positive x axis:

ax ϭ

8.7 N
a Fx
ϭ
ϭ 29 m>s2
m
0.30 kg

ay ϭ

5.2 N
a Fy
ϭ
ϭ 17 m>s2
m
0.30 kg

a ϭ 2 129 m>s2 2 2 ϩ 117 m>s2 2 2 ϭ 34 m>s2
ay
17
u ϭ tanϪ1 a b ϭ tanϪ1 a b ϭ 30°
ax
29

Finalize The vectors in Figure 5.4 can be added graphically to check the reasonableness of our answer. Because the
acceleration vector is along the direction of the resultant force, a drawing showing the resultant force vector helps us
check the validity of the answer. (Try it!)
What If? Suppose three hockey sticks strike the puck simultaneously, with two of them exerting the forces shown in
Figure 5.4. The result of the three forces is that the hockey puck shows no acceleration. What must be the components of the third force?
Answer If there is zero acceleration, the net force acting on the puck must be zero. Therefore, the three forces
must cancel. We have found the components of the combination of the first two forces. The components of the third
force must be of equal magnitude and opposite sign so that all the components add to zero. Therefore, F3x ϭ Ϫ8.7 N,
F3y ϭ Ϫ5.2 N.

PITFALL PREVENTION 5.4
“Weight of an Object”
We are familiar with the everyday
phrase, the “weight of an object.”
Weight, however, is not an inherent

property of an object; rather, it is a
measure of the gravitational force
between the object and the Earth
(or other planet). Therefore,
weight is a property of a system of
items: the object and the Earth.

5.5

The Gravitational Force and Weight

All objects are attracted to the Earth. TheSattractive force exerted by the Earth on
an object is called the gravitational force Fg . This force is directed toward the center of the Earth,3 and its magnitude is called the weight of the object.
S
We saw in Section 2.6 that a freely falling object experiences an acceleration
g
S
S
acting toward the center of the Earth. Applying Newton’s
second
law
͚
F
ϭ
m
a
to
S
S
S

S
a freely falling object of mass m, with a ϭ g and ͚ F ϭ Fg , gives
S

Fg ϭ m g
S

S

Therefore, the weight of an object, being defined as the magnitude of Fg , is equal
to mg:
PITFALL PREVENTION 5.5
Kilogram Is Not a Unit of Weight
You may have seen the “conversion” 1 kg ϭ 2.2 lb. Despite popular statements of weights expressed
in kilograms, the kilogram is not a
unit of weight, it is a unit of mass.
The conversion statement is not an
equality; it is an equivalence that is
valid only on the Earth’s surface.

Fg ϭ mg

(5.6)

Because it depends on g, weight varies with geographic location. Because g
decreases with increasing distance from the center of the Earth, objects weigh less
at higher altitudes than at sea level. For example, a 1 000-kg palette of bricks used
in the construction of the Empire State Building in New York City weighed 9 800 N
at street level, but weighed about 1 N less by the time it was lifted from sidewalk
level to the top of the building. As another example, suppose a student has a mass

of 70.0 kg. The student’s weight in a location where g ϭ 9.80 m/s2 is 686 N (about
150 lb). At the top of a mountain, however, where g ϭ 9.77 m/s2, the student’s
3

This statement ignores that the mass distribution of the Earth is not perfectly spherical.


weight is only 684 N. Therefore, if you want to lose weight without going on a diet,
climb a mountain or weigh yourself at 30 000 ft during an airplane flight!
Equation 5.6 quantifies the gravitational force on the object, but notice that this
equation does not require the object to be moving. Even for a stationary object or
for an object on which several forces act, Equation 5.6 can be used to calculate the
magnitude of the gravitational force. The result is a subtle shift in the interpretation of m in the equation. The mass m in Equation 5.6 determines the strength of
the gravitational attraction between the object and the Earth. This role is completely different from that previously described for mass, that of measuring the
resistance to changes in motion in response to an external force. Therefore, we
call m in Equation 5.6 the gravitational mass. Even though this quantity is different
in behavior from inertial mass, it is one of the experimental conclusions in Newtonian dynamics that gravitational mass and inertial mass have the same value.
Although this discussion has focused on the gravitational force on an object
due to the Earth, the concept is generally valid on any planet. The value of g will
vary from one planet to the next, but the magnitude of the gravitational force will
always be given by the value of mg.

Quick Quiz 5.4 Suppose you are talking by interplanetary telephone to a
friend, who lives on the Moon. He tells you that he has just won a newton of gold
in a contest. Excitedly, you tell him that you entered the Earth version of the same
contest and also won a newton of gold! Who is richer? (a) You are. (b) Your friend
is. (c) You are equally rich.
CO N C E P T UA L E XA M P L E 5 . 2

107

The life-support unit strapped to the
back of astronaut Edwin Aldrin
weighed 300 lb on the Earth. During
his training, a 50-lb mock-up was
used. Although this strategy effectively simulated the reduced weight
the unit would have on the Moon, it
did not correctly mimic the unchanging mass. It was just as difficult to
accelerate the unit (perhaps by jumping or twisting suddenly) on the
Moon as on the Earth.

How Much Do You Weigh in an Elevator?

You have most likely been in an elevator that accelerates
upward as it moves toward a higher floor. In this case,
you feel heavier. In fact, if you are standing on a bathroom scale at the time, the scale measures a force having a magnitude that is greater than your weight. Therefore, you have tactile and measured evidence that leads
you to believe you are heavier in this situation. Are you
heavier?

5.6

Newton’s Third Law

NASA

Section 5.6

SOLUTION
No; your weight is unchanged. Your experiences are due
to the fact that you are in a noninertial reference frame.

To provide the acceleration upward, the floor or scale
must exert on your feet an upward force that is greater
in magnitude than your weight. It is this greater force
you feel, which you interpret as feeling heavier. The
scale reads this upward force, not your weight, and so its
reading increases.

Newton’s Third Law

If you press against a corner of this textbook with your fingertip, the book pushes
back and makes a small dent in your skin. If you push harder, the book does the
same and the dent in your skin is a little larger. This simple activity illustrates that
forces are interactions between two objects: when your finger pushes on the book,
the book pushes back on your finger. This important principle is known as Newton’s third law:
S

If two objects interact, the force F12 exerted by objectS1 on object 2 is equal
in magnitude and opposite in direction to the force F21 exerted by object 2
on object 1:
S

S

F12 ϭ ϪF21

(5.7)

When it is important to designate forces
as interactions between two objects, we
S

will use this subscript notation, where Fab means “the force exerted by a on b.” The
third law is illustrated in Figure 5.5a. The force that object 1 exerts on object 2 is
popularly called the action force, and the force of object 2 on object 1 is called the

ᮤ

Newton’s third law


108

Chapter 5

The Laws of Motion

F12 = –F21

2
F12

Fnh

John Gillmoure/The Stock Market

Fhn

F21
1
(a)

(b)
S

Figure 5.5 Newton’s third law. (a) The
force F12 exerted by object 1 on object 2 is equalS in magnitude
S
and opposite in direction to the force F21 exerted by object 2 on object 1.S(b) The force Fhn exerted by
the hammer on the nail is equal in magnitude and opposite to the force Fnh exerted by the nail on the
hammer.

PITFALL PREVENTION 5.6
n Does Not Always Equal mg
In the situation shown in Figure 5.6
and in many others, we find that
n ϭ mg (the normal force has the
same magnitude as the gravitational force). This result, however,
is not generally true. If an object is
on an incline, if there are applied
forces with vertical components, or
if there is a vertical acceleration of
the system, then n mg. Always
apply Newton’s second law to find
the relationship between n and mg.

Normal force

ᮣ

PITFALL PREVENTION 5.7
Newton’s Third Law

Remember that Newton’s third law
action and reaction forces act on
different objects. For example, in
S
S
S
Figure 5.6, n ϭ Ftm ϭ Ϫm g ϭ
S
S
S
ϪFEm. The forces n and m g are
equal in magnitude and opposite
in direction, but they do not represent an action-reaction pair
because both forces act on the
same object, the monitor.

reaction force. These italicized terms are not scientific terms; furthermore, either
force can be labeled the action or reaction force. We will use these terms for convenience. In all cases, the action and reaction forces act on different objects and must
be of the same type (gravitational, electrical, etc.). For example, the force acting
on a freelyS falling
projectile is the gravitational force exerted by the Earth on the
S
projectile Fg ϭ FEp (E ϭ Earth, p ϭ projectile), and the magnitude of this force is
mg. The reaction
toS this force is the gravitational
force exerted by the projectile on
S
S
the Earth FpE ϭ ϪFEp. The reactionS force FpE must accelerate the Earth toward the
projectile just as the action force FEp accelerates the projectile toward the Earth.

Because the Earth has such a large mass, however, its acceleration due to this reaction force is negligibly small.
S
Another example of Newton’s third law is shown in Figure 5.5b. The force Fhn
exerted
by the hammer on the nail is equal in magnitude and opposite the force
S
Fnh exerted by the nail on the hammer. This latter force stops the forward motion
of the hammer when it strikes the nail.
Consider a computer monitorS at rest
on a table as in Figure 5.6a. The
reaction
S
S
S
force to the gravitational force Fg ϭ FEm on the monitor is the force FmE ϭ ϪFEm
exerted by the monitor on the Earth. The monitor does not accelerate because
it
S
S
is held up by the table. The table exerts on the monitor an upward force n ϭ Ftm,
called the normal force.4 This force, which prevents the monitor from falling
through the table, can have any value needed, up to the point of breaking the
table. Because the monitor
has zero acceleration, Newton’s second law applied to
S
S
S
the monitor gives us ͚ F ϭ n ϩ mg ϭ 0, so nˆj Ϫ mgˆj ϭ 0, or n ϭ mg. The normal
force balances the gravitational force on the monitor, so the net force on the monS
itor is zero. The

reaction
force to n is the force exerted by the monitor downward
S
S
S
on the table, Fmt ϭ ϪFtm ϭ Ϫn.
S
S
Notice that the forces
acting
on the monitor are Fg and n as shown in Figure
S
S
5.6b. The two forces FmE and Fmt are exerted on objects other than the monitor.
Figure 5.6 illustrates an extremely important step in solving problems involving
forces. Figure 5.6a shows many of the forces in the situation: those acting on the
monitor, one acting on the table, and one acting on the Earth. Figure 5.6b, by
contrast, shows only the forces acting on one object, the monitor. This important
pictorial representation in Figure 5.6b is called a free-body diagram. When analyzing an object subject to forces, we are interested in the net force acting on one
object, which we will model as a particle. Therefore, a free-body diagram helps us
isolate only those forces on the object and eliminate the other forces from our
4

Normal in this context means perpendicular.


Section 5.7

Some Applications of Newton’s Laws

109

n ϭ Ftm

n ϭ Ftm

Fg ϭ FEm
Fg ϭ FEm

Fmt
FmE

(a)

(b)

Figure 5.6 (a) When a computer monitorSis at rest on a table, the forces acting
on the monitor are the
S
S
S
normal force n and the gravitational
force Fg S. The reaction to n is the force Fmt exerted by the monitor
S
on the table. The reaction to Fg is the force FmE exerted by the monitor on the Earth. (b) The freebody diagram for the monitor.

analysis. This diagram can be simplified further by representing the object (such
as the monitor) as a particle simply by drawing a dot.

Quick Quiz 5.5 (i) If a fly collides with the windshield of a fast-moving bus,

which experiences an impact force with a larger magnitude? (a) The fly. (b) The
bus. (c) The same force is experienced by both. (ii) Which experiences the greater
acceleration? (a) The fly. (b) The bus. (c) The same acceleration is experienced
by both.

CO N C E P T UA L E XA M P L E 5 . 3

The most important step in solving a
problem using Newton’s laws is to
draw a proper sketch, the free-body
diagram. Be sure to draw only
those forces that act on the object
you are isolating. Be sure to draw
all forces acting on the object,
including any field forces, such
as the gravitational force.

You Push Me and I’ll Push You

A large man and a small boy stand facing each other on
frictionless ice. They put their hands together and push
against each other so that they move apart.
(A) Who moves away with the higher speed?
SOLUTION
This situation is similar to what we saw in Quick Quiz
5.5. According to Newton’s third law, the force exerted
by the man on the boy and the force exerted by the boy
on the man are a third-law pair of forces, so they must
be equal in magnitude. (A bathroom scale placed
between their hands would read the same, regardless of

which way it faced.) Therefore, the boy, having the

5.7

PITFALL PREVENTION 5.8
Free-Body Diagrams

smaller mass, experiences the greater acceleration. Both
individuals accelerate for the same amount of time, but
the greater acceleration of the boy over this time interval results in his moving away from the interaction with
the higher speed.
(B) Who moves farther while their hands are in contact?
SOLUTION
Because the boy has the greater acceleration and therefore the greater average velocity, he moves farther than
the man during the time interval during which their
hands are in contact.

Some Applications of Newton’s Laws

In this section, we discuss two analysis models for solving problems in which
S
objects are either in equilibrium 1a ϭ 0 2 or accelerating along a straight line
under the action of constant external forces. Remember that when Newton’s laws
are applied to an object, we are interested only in external forces that act on the
object. If the objects are modeled as particles, we need not worry about rotational
motion. For now, we also neglect the effects of friction in those problems involving


110

The Laws of Motion

© John EIk III/Stock, Boston Inc./PictureQuest

Chapter 5

Rock climbers at rest are in equilibrium and depend on the tension
forces in ropes for their safety.

motion, which is equivalent to stating that the surfaces are frictionless. (The friction
force is discussed in Section 5.8.)
We usually neglect the mass of any ropes, strings, or cables involved. In this
approximation, the magnitude of the force exerted by any element of the rope on
the adjacent element is the same for all elements along the rope. In problem statements, the synonymous terms light and of negligible mass are used to indicate that a
mass is to be ignored when you work the problems. When
a rope attached to an
S
object is pulling on the object, the rope exerts a force T on the object in a direction away from the object, parallel to the rope. The magnitude T of that force is
called the tension in the rope. Because it is the magnitude of a vector quantity,
tension is a scalar quantity.

The Particle in Equilibrium
If the acceleration of an object modeled as a particle is zero, the object is treated
with the particle in equilibrium model. In this model, the net force on the object
is zero:
S

a Fϭ0

TЉ ϭ T

T

TЈ

Fg
(b)

(a)

Figure 5.7 (a) A lamp suspended
from a ceiling by a chain of negligible
mass. (b) The forces acting on the
S
lamp are the gravitational
force Fg
S
and the force T exerted by the chain.
(c) The forces
acting on the chain are
S
the force T
¿ exerted by the lamp and
S
the force T – exerted by the ceiling.

(a)
n

y

Consider a lamp suspended from a light chain fastened to the ceiling as in Figure
5.7a. The free-body diagram for the lamp (Fig. 5.7b) Sshows that the forces acting
S
on the lamp are the downward gravitational force Fg and the upward force T
exerted by the chain. Because there are no forces in the x direction, ͚ Fx ϭ 0 provides no helpful information. The condition ͚ Fy ϭ 0 gives
a Fy ϭ T Ϫ Fg ϭ 0

(c)

T
x

(5.8)

S

or

T ϭ Fg

S

Again, notice that T and Fg are not an action-reaction
pair because they act on the
S
S
same object, the lamp. The reaction force to T is T ¿ , the downward force exerted
by the lamp on the chain as shown in Figure 5.7c. BecauseS the chain is a particle
in equilibrium, the ceiling must
exert on the chain a force T – that is equal in magS

nitude to the magnitude of T ¿ and points in the opposite direction.

The Particle Under a Net Force
If an object experiences an acceleration, its motion can be analyzed with the particle under a net force model. The appropriate equation for this model is Newton’s
second law, Equation 5.2. Consider a crate being pulled to the right on a frictionless, horizontal surface as in Figure 5.8a. Suppose you wish to find the acceleration
of the crate and the force the floor exerts on it. The forces acting on the crate are
illustrated
in the free-body diagram in Figure 5.8b. Notice that the horizontal
S
S
force T being applied to the crate acts through the rope.S The magnitude of T is
equal to the tension in the rope. In addition Sto the force T, the free-body diagram
S
for the crate includes the gravitational force Fg and the normal force n exerted by
the floor on the crate.
We can now apply Newton’s second Slaw in component form to the crate. The
only force acting in the x direction is T. Applying ͚ Fx ϭ max to the horizontal
motion gives
T
a Fx ϭ T ϭ max¬or¬ax ϭ m

Fg
(b)
Figure 5.8 (a) A crate being pulled
to the right on a frictionless surface.
(b) The free-body diagram representing the external forces acting on the
crate.

No acceleration occurs in the y direction because the crate moves only horizontally. Therefore, we use the particle in equilibrium model in the y direction. Applying the y component of Equation 5.8 yields
a Fy ϭ n ϩ 1ϪFg 2 ϭ 0¬or¬n ϭ Fg

That is, the normal force has the same magnitude as the gravitational force but
acts in the opposite direction.


Section 5.7

111

Some Applications of Newton’s Laws

S

If T is a constant force, the acceleration ax ϭ T/m also is constant. Hence, the
crate is also modeled as a particle under constant acceleration in the x direction,
and the equations of kinematics from Chapter 2 can be used to obtain the crate’s
position x and velocity vx as functions of time.
S
In the situationSjust described, the magnitude of the normal force n is equal to
the magnitude of Fg , but that is not always the case. For example,
suppose a book
S
is lying on a table and you push down on the book with a force F as in Figure 5.9.
Because the book is at rest and therefore not accelerating, ͚ Fy ϭ 0, which gives
n Ϫ Fg Ϫ F ϭ 0, or n ϭ Fg ϩ F. In this situation, the normal force is greater than the
gravitational force. Other examples in which n Fg are presented later.

F

n

Fg

S

P R O B L E M - S O LV I N G S T R AT E G Y

Applying Newton’s Laws

The following procedure is recommended when dealing with problems involving
Newton’s laws:

Figure 5.9 When a force F pushes
vertically downward on another
S
object, the normal force n on the
object is greater than the gravitational force: n ϭ Fg ϩ F.

1. Conceptualize. Draw a simple, neat diagram of the system. The diagram helps
establish the mental representation. Establish convenient coordinate axes for
each object in the system.
2. Categorize. If an acceleration component for an object is zero, the object is modeled as a particle in equilibrium in this direction and ͚ F ϭ 0. If not, the object
is modeled as a particle under a net force in this direction and ͚ F ϭ ma.
3. Analyze. Isolate the object whose motion is being analyzed. Draw a free-body diagram for this object. For systems containing more than one object, draw separate
free-body diagrams for each object. Do not include in the free-body diagram
forces exerted by the object on its surroundings.
Find the components of the forces along the coordinate axes. Apply the
appropriate model from the Categorize step for each direction. Check your
dimensions to make sure that all terms have units of force.
Solve the component equations for the unknowns. Remember that you must
have as many independent equations as you have unknowns to obtain a complete solution.

4. Finalize. Make sure your results are consistent with the free-body diagram. Also
check the predictions of your solutions for extreme values of the variables. By
doing so, you can often detect errors in your results.

E XA M P L E 5 . 4

A Traffic Light at Rest

A traffic light weighing 122 N hangs from a cable tied to
two other cables fastened to a support as in Figure 5.10a.
The upper cables make angles of 37.0° and 53.0° with
the horizontal. These upper cables are not as strong as
the vertical cable and will break if the tension in them
exceeds 100 N. Does the traffic light remain hanging in
this situation, or will one of the cables break?

y

T3
37.0Њ

53.0Њ

T2

T1

T2

T1

53.0Њ

37.0Њ

T3

x

SOLUTION
Conceptualize Inspect the drawing in Figure 5.10a.
Let us assume the cables do not break and that nothing
is moving.

Fg
(a)

(b)

T3
(c)

Figure 5.10 (Example 5.4) (a) A traffic light suspended by cables.
(b) The free-body diagram for the traffic light. (c) The free-body diagram for the knot where the three cables are joined.


112

Chapter 5

The Laws of Motion

Categorize If nothing is moving, no part of the system is accelerating. We can now model the light as a particle in
equilibrium on which the net force is zero. Similarly, the net force on the knot (Fig. 5.10c) is zero.
Analyze We construct two free-body diagrams: one for the traffic light, shown in Figure 5.10b, and one for the knot
that holds the three cables together, shown in Figure 5.10c. This knot is a convenient object to choose because all
the forces of interest act along lines passing through the knot.
a Fy ϭ 0

Apply Equation 5.8 for the traffic light in the y direction:

S

T3 Ϫ Fg ϭ 0

T3 ϭ Fg ϭ 122 N
Choose the coordinate axes as shown in Figure 5.10c
and resolve the forces acting on the knot into their components:

Force
S

T1

x Component

y Component

ϪT1 cos 37.0°

T1 sin 37.0°

T2 cos 53.0°

T2 sin 53.0°

S

T2
S

Apply the particle in equilibrium model to the knot:

S

Ϫ122 N

0

T3

(1)

a Fx ϭ ϪT1 cos 37.0° ϩ T2 cos 53.0° ϭ 0

(2)

a Fy ϭ T1 sin 37.0° ϩ T2 sin 53.0° ϩ 1Ϫ122 N2 ϭ 0
S

Equation (1) shows that the horizontal components
of TS1 and T2 must be equal in magnitude,
and Equation (2)
S
S
shows that the sum of the vertical components of T1 and T2 must balance the downward force T3, which is equal in
magnitude to the weight of the light.
Solve Equation (1) for T2 in terms of T1:

(3)

T2 ϭ T1 a

cos 37.0°
b ϭ 1.33T1
cos 53.0°

T1 sin 37.0° ϩ 11.33T1 2 1sin 53.0°2 Ϫ 122 N ϭ 0

Substitute this value for T2 into Equation (2):

T1 ϭ 73.4 N
T2 ϭ 1.33T1 ϭ 97.4 N
Both values are less than 100 N (just barely for T2), so the cables will not break.
Finalize
What If?

Let us finalize this problem by imagining a change in the system, as in the following What If?
Suppose the two angles in Figure 5.10a are equal. What would be the relationship between T1 and T2?

Answer We can argue from the symmetry of the problem that the two tensions T1 and T2 would be equal to each
other. Mathematically, if the equal angles are called u, Equation (3) becomes
T2 ϭ T1 a

cos u
b ϭ T1
cos u

which also tells us that the tensions are equal. Without knowing the specific value of u, we cannot find the values of
T1 and T2. The tensions will be equal to each other, however, regardless of the value of u.

CO N C E P T UA L E XA M P L E 5 . 5

Forces Between Cars in a Train

Train cars are connected by couplers, which are under
tension as the locomotive pulls the train. Imagine you
are on a train speeding up with a constant acceleration.
As you move through the train from the locomotive to
the last car, measuring the tension in each set of couplers, does the tension increase, decrease, or stay the

same? When the engineer applies the brakes, the couplers are under compression. How does this compression force vary from the locomotive to the last car?
(Assume only the brakes on the wheels of the engine
are applied.)


Section 5.7

SOLUTION
As the train speeds up, tension decreases from the front

of the train to the back. The coupler between the locomotive and the first car must apply enough force to
accelerate the rest of the cars. As you move back along
the train, each coupler is accelerating less mass behind
it. The last coupler has to accelerate only the last car,
and so it is under the least tension.

E XA M P L E 5 . 6

113

Some Applications of Newton’s Laws

When the brakes are applied, the force again decreases
from front to back. The coupler connecting the locomotive to the first car must apply a large force to slow down
the rest of the cars, but the final coupler must apply a
force large enough to slow down only the last car.

The Runaway Car

A car of mass m is on an icy driveway inclined at
an angle u as in Figure 5.11a.
y

(A) Find the acceleration of the car, assuming
that the driveway is frictionless.
n

SOLUTION
mg sin u

Conceptualize Use Figure 5.11a to conceptualize the situation. From everyday experience, we
know that a car on an icy incline will accelerate
down the incline. (The same thing happens to a
car on a hill with its brakes not set.)

mg cos u

Categorize We categorize the car as a particle
under a net force. Furthermore, this problem
belongs to a very common category of problems
in which an object moves under the influence of
gravity on an inclined plane.

x

u

u

Fg = m g

(a)

(b)

Figure 5.11 (Example 5.6) (a) A car of mass m on a frictionless incline.
(b) The free-body diagram for the car.

Analyze Figure 5.11b shows the free-body diagram for the car. The only forces acting on the car are theS normal
S

S
force n exerted by the inclined plane, which acts perpendicular to the plane, and the gravitational force Fg ϭ mg,
which acts vertically downward. For problems involving inclined planes, it is convenient to choose the coordinate
axes with x along the incline and y perpendicular to it as in Figure 5.11b. (It is possible, although inconvenient, to
solve the problem with “standard” horizontal and vertical axes. You may want to try it, just for practice.) With these
axes, we represent the gravitational force by a component of magnitude mg sin u along the positive x axis and one of
magnitude mg cos u along the negative y axis.
Apply Newton’s second law to the car in component
form, noting that ay ϭ 0:
Solve Equation (1) for ax:

(1)

a Fx ϭ mg sin u ϭ max

(2)

a Fy ϭ n Ϫ mg cos u ϭ 0

(3)

ax ϭ g sin u

Finalize Our choice of axes results in the car being modeled as a particle under a net force in the x direction and
a particle in equilibrium in the y direction. Furthermore, the acceleration component ax is independent of the mass
of the car! It depends only on the angle of inclination and Son g.
From Equation (2) we conclude that the component of Fg perpendicular to the incline is balanced by the normal
force; that is, n ϭ mg cos u. This situation is another case in which the normal force is not equal in magnitude to the
weight of the object.
(B) Suppose the car is released from rest at the top of the incline and the distance from the car’s front bumper to

the bottom of the incline is d. How long does it take the front bumper to reach the bottom of the hill, and what is
the car’s speed as it arrives there?
SOLUTION
Concepualize Imagine that the car is sliding down the hill and you use a stopwatch to measure the entire time
interval until it reaches the bottom.