Episode 210: Preparation for Newton’s laws of motion

They are counter-intuitive, and will need a great deal of practice to ensure they are used correctly.

Main aims of this topic

Newton’s laws

Students will:

• use the equations of motion to investigate the relationship between force and acceleration for a constant mass
• perform simple calculations using F = m × a
• state the relationship between mass and acceleration for a constant force
• understand the range and application of Newton’s Third Law
• perform calculations using the concept of the Third Law

Prior knowledge

It is likely that students will have met these laws in some form previously. Now is your chance to ensure that they deepen their grasp of their significance.

Where this leads

Newton’s laws of motion are applied in many different situations. Hopefully, they will gradually become second nature to your students.