Newton's second law of motion
- noun
- /ˈnjuːtənz ˈsɛkənd lɔː ʌv ˈmoʊʃən/
- Specialized
:
segunda ley de movimiento de Newton
- The central idea hinges on Newton's second law of motion: force equals mass times acceleration, or F = ma.
Examples
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According to Newton's second law of motion, the acceleration of an object depends on the force acting on it and its mass.
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Unlike his first and third laws, Newton's second law of motion is an equation: F = ma.
Academic text (2004) -
Without guidance, the mass she had accrued would follow Newton's second law of motion.
Fiction book (1999) -
In physics classes, students often learn about Newton's second law of motion to understand how forces affect moving objects.
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When a car accelerates, it demonstrates Newton's second law of motion by showcasing the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration.
Synonyms
1
3.4
A rule that shows how force, mass and acceleration relate
A rule that says how a force makes an object move faster depending on its mass
Surface Forms
Morphology
Newton's + 2nd + law + of + motion
The components 'Newton's' + 'second' + 'law' + 'motion' transparently indicate a named scientific law (the second of Newton's laws) about motion, so a learner who knows the words will grasp it refers to a specific law concerning motion and ordinal position. However, the precise meaning (the force–momentum/acceleration relationship or the formula F = ma) cannot be derived from the constituents alone and requires subject-matter knowledge, so the expression is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Newton's second law of motion is named after the scientist Isaac Newton and comes from his simple idea that a stronger push makes something speed up more, while heavier things need a bigger push. Imagine pushing an empty shopping cart and a full one: the same force gives more acceleration to the empty cart than to the cart with more mass, so the law tells us how motion changes when we push an object.