Newtonian physics

230 Pages·2000·3.1 MB·english

by  Benjamin Crowell

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