Chapter 5: Applying Newton’s Laws

A. Section 1: Using Newton’s First Law: Particles in Equilibrium

1. Equilibrium: Every particle in the system is either at rest or has a constant velocity. Either way,
the acceleration is zero.
Σ𝑭⃗ =0

Σ𝐹𝑥 = 0 ; Σ𝐹𝑦 = 0

2. Tips for Solving Systems

a. Draw a sketch of the system. Understand what is going on.
b. Draw a free-body diagram for every particle. Determine all the types of forces affecting each
particle. You can set a different coordinate axis. It is best if you are consistent with the
direction of the acceleration.
c. Make separate equations for the x and y component for every particle.
d. Carefully solve the system of equations.

3. Tension: The magnitude of force acting on the rope at any point. A rope that has pulling forces
at its ends is said to be tension. Unless stated otherwise, we will assume that the rope has
negligible mass. This means that the rope has the same magnitude of tension, but different
directions, throughout the rope.

4. Example 1: A gymnast with mass mg= 50.0 kg suspends herself from the lower end of a hanging
rope of negligible mass. The upper end of the rope is attached to the gymnasium ceiling. (a)
What is the gymnast’s weight? (b) What force (magnitude and direction) does the rope exert on
her? (c) What is the tension at the top of the rope?
5. Example 2: Find the tension at each end of the rope in the previous example if the weight of the
rope is 120 N.

6. Example 3: In the figure below, a car engine with weight w hangs from a chain that is linked at
ring O to two other chains, one fastened to the ceiling and the other to the wall. Find
expressions for the tension in each of the three chains in terms of w. The weights of the ring and
chains are negligible compared with the weight of the engine.
7. Example 4: Your firm needs to haul granite blocks up a 15° slope out of a quarry and to lower
dirt into the quarry to fill the holes. You design a system in which a granite block on a cart with
steel wheels (weight w1, including both block and cart) is pulled uphill on steel rails by a dirt-
filled bucket (weight w2, including both dirt and bucket) that descends vertically into the quarry.
How must the weights w1 and w2 be related in order for the system to move with constant
speed? Ignore friction in the pulley and wheels, and ignore the weights of the cable.
B. Section 2: Using Newton’s Second Law: Dynamics of Particles
1. Equations
⃗ = 𝑚𝒂
Σ𝑭 ⃗

Σ𝐹𝑥 = 𝑚𝑎𝑥 ; Σ𝐹𝑦 = 𝑚𝑎𝑦

2. Example 1: An elevator and its load have a combined mass of 800 kg. The elevator is initially
moving downward at 10.0 m/s; it slows to a stop with constant acceleration in a distance of
25.0 m. What is the tension T in the supporting cable while the elevator is being brought to rest?

3. Example 2: You push a 1.00 kg food tray through the cafeteria line with a constant 9.0-N force.
The tray pushes a 0.50-kg milk carton. The tray and carton slide on a horizontal so greasy that
friction can be ignored. Find the acceleration of the tray and carton and the horizontal force
that the tray exerts on the carton.
4. Example 3: A 3.50-kg block on a smooth tabletop is attached by a string to a hanging block of
mass 2.80 kg, as shown in the figure. The blocks are released from rest and allowed to move
freely. Find (a) the acceleration of the blocks and (b) the tension in the string.
C. Section 3: Friction Forces
1. Kinetic Friction, µk: Produced when surfaces slide against one another
𝑓𝑘 = 𝜇𝑘 𝑛

Where µk is the coefficient of kinetic friction between two specific substances and n is the
normal force.

2. Static Friction, µs: friction that keeps two surfaces from moving relative to one another

𝑓𝑠,𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝜇𝑠 𝑁

0 ≤ 𝑓𝑠 ≤ 𝜇𝑠 𝑁

Where µs is the coefficient of static friction between two specific substances and n is the
normal force.

3. Example 1: You want to move a 500-N crate across a level floor. To start the crate moving, you
have to pull with a 230-N horizontal force. Once the crate starts to move, you can keep it
moving at constant velocity with only 200 N. (a) What are the coefficients of static and kinetic
friction? (b) What is the friction force if the crate is at rest on the surface and a horizontal force
of 50 N is applied to it? (c) Suppose you want to move the crate by pulling upward on the rope at
an angle of 30° above the horizontal. How hard must you pull to keep it moving with a constant
velocity?
4. Example 2: A mug rests on an inclined surface as shown in the figure below. (a) What is the
magnitude of the frictional force exerted on the mug? (b) What is the minimum coefficient of
static friction required to keep the mug from sliding?

5. Example 3: A 37-kg crate is placed on an inclined ramp. When the angle the ramp makes with
the horizontal is increased to 23°, the crate begins to slide downwards. (a) What is the
coefficient of static friction between the crate and the ramp?
D. Section 4: Dynamics of Circular Motion
1. Uniform Circular Motion
a. Centripetal Acceleration: Acceleration that is perpendicular to the velocity directed toward
the center which causes the change in direction as the particle moves along the circular path

b. Centripetal Acceleration and Radius: R is the radius of the object’s circular path

𝑣2
𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑑 =
𝑅

c. Centripetal Acceleration and Period: T is the period of the motion; that is the time for one
revolution.
4𝜋 2 𝑅
𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑑 =
𝑇2

2. Example 1: An Aston Martin V8 Vantage sports car has a “lateral acceleration” of 0.96g = 9.4
m/s2. This is the maximum centripetal acceleration the car can sustain without skidding out of
a curved path. If the car is travelling at a constant 40 m/s (about 89 mi/hr) on level ground, what
is the radius R of the tightest unbanked curve it can negotiate?

3. Example 2: Passengers on a carnival ride move at a constant speed in a horizontal circle of

radius R = 5.0 m, making a complete circle in 4.0 s. What is their acceleration?
 4. Example 3: A sports car is rounding a flat, unbanked curve with radius R=230 m. If the
coefficient of static friction between the tires and the road is 0.96, what is the maximum speed
at which the driver can take the curve without sliding?

5. Example 4: A car goes around a curve that is banked at an angle of 21.5°. Even though the road
is slick, the car will stay on the road without any friction between the tires and the road when its
speed is 19.8 m/s. What is the radius of the curve?

E. Section 5: The Fundamental Forces of Nature ( Skipping; but interesting to read)