GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION

Home


Activity Materials for Students
  • What is this activity?
  • What will I learn?
  • What do I need to know?
  • What does the model look like?
  • What experiments can I do with the model?
  • Run the model!
  • What words do I need to know?
  • Show me other web pages on this topic!
  • Take a short quiz!
    Materials for Teachers
  • A note to teachers
  • Additional background material
  • Teaching Tips
  • Evaluation Methods
  • Links to national standards

    Related Links
  • NCSLP Home
  • Contact Webmaster
  • Credits
  • Evaluation Form

  • Graphic of National Computational Science Leadership Program logo

    What do I need to know about....
    Centripetal Force?


    Newton's first law of motion predicts the behavior of objects for which all existing forces are balanced. The first law - sometimes referred to as the "law of inertia" - states that if the forces acting upon an object are balanced, then the acceleration of that object will be 0 m/s/s. Objects at equilibrium (the condition in which all forces balance) will not accelerate. According to Newton, an object will only accelerate if there is a net or unbalanced force acting upon it. The presence of an unbalanced force will accelerate an object - changing either its speed, its direction, or both its speed and direction.

    Graphic of the water cycle

    Newton's second law of motion pertains to the behavior of objects for which all existing forces are not balanced. The second law states that the acceleration of an object is dependent upon two variables - the net force acting upon the object and the mass of the object. As learned in the "The Rocket Simulation" Lab, the acceleration of an object depends directly upon the net force acting upon the object, and inversely upon the mass of the object. As the force of propulsion acting upon the rocket-chair increased, the acceleration of the rocket-chair increased. As the mass of the rocket-chair increased, the acceleration of the rocket-chair decreased.

    Graphic of the water cycle

    Newton's second law of motion can be formally stated as follows:

    The acceleration of an object as produced by a net force is directly proportional to the magnitude of the net force, in the same direction as the net force, and inversely proportional to the mass of the object.
    http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/phys/Class/newtlaws/u2l3a.html




    Developed by
    Team Grand Rapids
    Copyright © 2001

    This project is supported, in part,
    by the

    National Science Foundation

    Opinions expressed are those of the authors
    and not necessarily those of the National Science Foundation.
    NSF