Newton’s Second Law
Sample Problems
Active Physics
Name: ______________________________Grade:___ Class Period: ___ Date:____________
Essential Question: What is the relationship between net force, acceleration, and mass? PSc.1.2.3
Instructions: Read pages 20-22 and discover more about Newton’s Second Law.
Sample Problem 1 ( p. 20)
1. Identify the values for the given variables.
Force ( F): _______________________________
Mass ( m): _______________________________
Acceleration ( a) : unknown
2. What strategy should you use to solve this problem?
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3. What is the relationship between the following:
Directly proportional or inversely/indirectly proportional
Acceleration is ( m/s2) ______________________ with the Applied Force ( N)
Acceleration is ( m/s2) ________________________ with the Mass ( kg)
3. What equation/formula should you use to solve this problem?
Formula for Acceleration ( a)
Where:
a= acceleration ( m/s2)
F= force/weight ( Newton (N) or kg meter per second squared)
m=mass ( kg or kilogram , g or meter)
4. What does Newton ( N or kg m/s2) mean?
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5. How many kilograms are there in 275 grams ( g)?
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6. Why should you always change the unit gram ( g) to kilogram ( kg) whenever working with Newton’s
Second Law? Think!
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7. What is the acceleration of the tennis ball?
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Sample Problem 2
1. Identify the values for the given variables.
Force ( F): unknown
Mass ( m): _______________________________
Acceleration ( a) :__________________________
2. How many problems do you need to solve with Sample Problem 2? ( pp. 20-21) Write them on the
spaces below.
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3. What strategy should you use to solve the problems?
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4. How many kilograms ( kg) are there in 58 grams ( g)?
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5. Why should you always change the unit gram ( g) to kilogram ( kg) whenever working with Newton’s
Second Law? Think!
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6. What is the answer for question A?
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7. What is the answer for question B?
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8. Explain why applying the same amount force to a heavier object results to smaller acceleration?
Think!______________________________________________________________________________
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