Skip to main content
Pearson+ LogoPearson+ Logo
Back

Newton's First & Second Laws definitions

2 students found this helpful
Control buttons has been changed to "navigation" mode.
1/15
  • Force
    A push or pull that changes an object's velocity, represented as a vector.
  • Newton
    The unit of force in the International System of Units, symbolized as N.
  • Acceleration
    The rate of change of velocity of an object, influenced by net force.
  • Mass
    A measure of an object's resistance to acceleration when a net force is applied.
  • Net Force
    The vector sum of all forces acting on an object, determining its acceleration.
  • Inertia
    The tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion.
  • Velocity
    The speed of an object in a specified direction, remaining constant if net force is zero.
  • Vector
    A quantity with both magnitude and direction, used to represent forces.
  • Magnitude
    The size or amount of a vector quantity, such as force or acceleration.
  • Direction
    The line or path along which something moves, points, or faces.
  • Positive Direction
    The chosen reference direction for vector calculations, typically right or up.
  • Newton's First Law
    An object remains at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by a net force.
  • Newton's Second Law
    The net force on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration.
  • Vector Addition
    The process of combining vectors to determine the net force.
  • Law of Inertia
    Another term for Newton's First Law, describing resistance to changes in motion.