The language of kinematics lets us describe motion -- and changes in motion -- with precision. But what causes motion to change? Isaac Newton provided the answer in the 1600's, when he stated that that the acceleration of an object is equal to the sum of the forces on it, divided by its mass.
We now refer to this as Newton's Second Law. The study of forces and their effects on motion is called dynamics.
The objective of this Unit is to acquaint the learner with the relation between force and acceleration. We will look at forces acting upon the slider and sled, in activities that involve motion in straight and curved paths. This unit will help the learner:
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© April, 1998, Montana State University-Bozeman
