Acceleration Change with Net Force from "summary" of What Are Newton's Laws of Motion? by Denyse O'Leary
When net force is present on an object, it causes a change in its acceleration. This acceleration can be seen in objects which experience a push or a pull, and the magnitude of the acceleration depends upon the amount of force being exerted.- Acceleration is a result of a net force acting on an object. Force causes acceleration when it acts on an object, as per Newton's Second Law.
- The overall effect of these forces is very important – the net force can cause either acceleration or deceleration depending on its direction relative to, and magnitude compared to, the existing velocity.
- As the size of the net force increases, the rate of acceleration also increases. But when the mass of the object increases, the acceleration due to a given net force, decreases.
- An object may start from rest then accelerate because of an externally applied force. Conversely, an object with velocity may decelerate when an opposing force is present.
- Though the individual forces may not always be known or able to be calculated, if the size and direction of the net force is known you can predict the acceleration of an object.
- Newton's Third Law states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The forward force on an object causes an opposite force to be generated in the environment in response.
- When the sum of all external net forces acting on an object are zero, there can be no change in velocity or acceleration and so the object will stay at rest or move at the same speed in a straight line.
- Acceleration occurs when unbalanced forces act on an object, changing its velocity over time with changes in either the speed, direction or both.
