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Newton's second law of motion


Although we may think of the second law as “Force equals Mass times Acceleration” Newton actually stated his famous law as follows:-

The rate of change of momentum of a body is directly proportional to the applied force and in the direction of that force.

Expressed mathematically Newton's Second Law is:
Force = d(mv)/dt

If mass is constant then F = d(mv)dt = mdv/dt = ma

Newton’s second law: Force = d(mv)/dt = ma
 
 
© Keith Gibbs 2011