Module 3—Effects of Force on Velocity
Lesson Summary
As you worked through this lesson, you should have answered these questions:
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How is the motion of an object affected by forces applied to it?
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How do unbalanced forces affect the motion of an object?
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How do Newton’s laws help explain why motion occurs?
Newton’s first and second laws of motion relate to unbalanced forces and changes in velocity.
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Newton’s first law: law of inertia: A body continues in its state of rest or of motion in a straight line with a constant speed unless an external, unbalanced force acts on it.
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Newton’s second law: The rate of change of velocity of an object is proportional to and in the same direction as the unbalanced force acting on it. The equation is
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Newton’s first and second laws explain the vector motion of an object and can be applied to understand and to solve transportation-related issues.
Lesson Glossary
force: a push or a pull, the cause of any change in the motion of an object
inertia: a property of matter that causes matter to resist changes in speed or direction
net force: the sum of the forces acting on an object (see unbalanced force)
unbalanced force: a net push or pull in one direction