Newton’s second law states that how strongly an object moves depends on the force applied to it and the object’s mass. This law can be expressed with the formula:
F = m*a
What do these letters mean?
m – the object’s mass, measured in kilograms.
a – the acceleration of the object, which represents how quickly its speed increases or decreases.
F – the resulting force, measured in newtons (N).
This means heavier objects require more force to move.
Practical Example
Imagine you’re at a bowling game, and you have two bowling balls—one lighter and one heavier.
Lighter Bowling Ball
When you throw the lighter bowling ball, it’s easy to push, and it rolls quickly down the lane.
For example, if you take a smaller, lighter bowling ball and roll it toward the pins, it will roll fast and easily because it requires less force.
Heavier Bowling Ball
When you try to throw the heavier bowling ball with the same force, you’ll notice it moves more slowly.
For example, if you pick up a larger, heavier bowling ball and throw it, it will move slower because its greater mass requires more force to start moving.
So, how do you understand Newton’s second law? Let’s summarize together: if you want a heavy object to move as quickly as a light one, you need to apply more force.
For example, to make a large box move as quickly as a small plush bear, you’ll need to push the box harder