Newtonian Physics Benjamin Crowell Book 1 in the Light and Matter series of introductory physics textbooks www.lightandmatter.com Newtonian Physics The Light and Matter series of introductory physics textbooks: 1 Newtonian Physics 2 Conservation Laws 3 Vibrations and Waves 4 Electricity and Magnetism 5 Optics 6 The Modern Revolution in Physics Newtonian Physics Benjamin Crowell www.lightandmatter.com Light and Matter Fullerton, California www.lightandmatter.com © 1998-2002 by Benjamin Crowell All rights reserved. Edition 2.1 rev. 2002-11-23 ISBN 0-9704670-1-X To Paul Herrschaft and Rich Muller. Brief Contents 0 Introduction and Review ............................... 15 1 Scaling and Order-of-Magnitude Estimates 35 Motion in One Dimension 2 Velocity and Relative Motion ........................ 54 3 Acceleration and Free Fall............................ 75 4 Force and Motion........................................... 99 5 Analysis of Forces....................................... 115 Motion in Three Dimensions 6 Newton’s Laws in Three Dimensions ........ 137 7 Vectors.......................................................... 147 8 Vectors and Motion ..................................... 157 9 Circular Motion ............................................ 169 10 Gravity ........................................................ 183 Exercises ........................................................... 203 Solutions to Selected Problems ...................... 211 Glossary............................................................. 217 Mathematical Review ........................................ 219 Trig Tables.......................................................... 220 Index................................................................... 221 Contents Preface......................................................... 13 A Note to the Student Taking Calculus Concurrently ........................................... 14 0 Introduction and Review 15 0.1 The Scientific Method.......................... 15 0.2 What Is Physics?................................. 17 0.3 How to Learn Physics.......................... 20 0.4 Self-Evaluation .................................... 22 0.5 Basics of the Metric System ................ 22 0.6 The Newton, the Metric Unit of Force.. 25 0.7 Less Common Metric Prefixes............. 26 0.8 Scientific Notation................................ 27 Motion in One 0.9 Conversions......................................... 28 0.10 Significant Figures............................. 30 Dimension 53 Summary...................................................... 32 Homework Problems.................................... 33 2 Velocity and Relative Motion 54 2.1 Types of Motion................................... 54 2.2 Describing Distance and Time............. 57 2.3 Graphs of Motion; Velocity................... 60 2.4 The Principle of Inertia......................... 64 2.5 Addition of Velocities ........................... 67 2.6 Graphs of Velocity Versus Time........... 69 2.7 (cid:242) Applications of Calculus .................... 69 Summary...................................................... 71 1 Scaling and Order-of- Homework Problems.................................... 72 3 Acceleration and Free Magnitude Estimates35 Fall 75 1.1 Introduction.......................................... 35 1.2 Scaling of Area and Volume ................ 37 3.1 The Motion of Falling Objects.............. 75 1.3 Scaling Applied to Biology................... 44 3.2 Acceleration......................................... 78 1.4 Order-of-Magnitude Estimates ............ 47 3.3 Positive and Negative Acceleration..... 81 Summary...................................................... 50 3.4 Varying Acceleration............................ 84 Homework Problems.................................... 50 3.5 The Area Under the Velocity-Time Graph87 3.6 Algebraic Results for Constant Acceleration............................................ 89 3.7* Biological Effects of Weightlessness.. 91 3.8 (cid:242) Applications of Calculus .................... 93 Summary...................................................... 94 Homework Problems.................................... 95