Newton's Laws of Motion
Newton's laws of motion are fundamental principles in classical mechanics. They describe the relationship between a body's mass, its motion, and the forces acting upon it. These laws are the foundation of much of our understanding of how objects move.
Here's a simple example demonstrating Newton's First Law (Inertia):
// An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion with the same velocity unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.
Understanding inertia is key to grasping the concept of Newton's Laws.
Energy and Conservation
Energy is defined as the ability to do work. There are many forms of energy, including kinetic, potential, thermal, and radiant. The law of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another.
- Kinetic Energy: Energy of motion. E = 1/2 * mv^2
- Potential Energy: Stored energy due to position or configuration.
- Work-Energy Theorem: W = ΔKE
Momentum and Impulse
Momentum is a measure of an object's mass in motion. It's calculated as mass multiplied by velocity (p = mv). Impulse is the change in momentum of an object. It's calculated as the force applied over a time interval (J = FΔt).
// Impulse = Change in Momentum