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 www.lightandmatter.com © 1998 by Benjamin Crowell All rights reserved. Edition 2.0 — 2000 rev. 2000-08-13 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 .............. 51 2 Velocity and Relative Motion ........................52 3 Acceleration and Free Fall............................71 4 Force and Motion...........................................95 5 Analysis of Forces....................................... 111 Motion in Three Dimensions ....... 131 6 Newton’s Laws in Three Dimensions ........131 7 Vectors..........................................................141 8 Vectors and Motion .....................................151 9 Circular Motion ............................................163 10 Gravity ........................................................177 Exercises ...........................................................195 Solutions to Selected Problems ......................203 Glossary.............................................................207 Mathematical Review ........................................209 Trig Tables..........................................................210 Index...................................................................211 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 51 Summary...................................................... 32 Homework Problems.................................... 33 2 Velocity and Relative Motion 52 2.1 Types of Motion................................... 52 2.2 Describing Distance and Time............. 55 2.3 Graphs of Motion; Velocity................... 58 2.4 The Principle of Inertia......................... 62 2.5 Addition of Velocities ........................... 65 2.6 Graphs of Velocity Versus Time........... 67 2.7 (cid:242) Applications of Calculus .................... 67 Summary...................................................... 69 1 Scaling and Order-of Homework Problems.................................... 70 3 Acceleration Magnitude Estimates 35 and Free Fall 71 1.1 Introduction.......................................... 35 1.2 Scaling of Area and Volume ................ 37 3.1 The Motion of Falling Objects.............. 71 1.3 Scaling Applied to Biology................... 44 3.2 Acceleration......................................... 74 1.4 Order-of-Magnitude Estimates ............ 47 3.3 Positive and Negative Acceleration..... 77 Summary...................................................... 50 3.4 Varying Acceleration............................ 80 Homework Problems.................................... 50 3.5 The Area Under the Velocity-Time Graph ................ 83 3.6 Algebraic Results for Constant Acceleration .................................... 85 3.7* Biological Effects of Weightlessness.. 87 3.8 (cid:242) Applications of Calculus .................... 89 Summary...................................................... 90 Homework Problems.................................... 91