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Understanding Inertia and Newton's Laws: Skating Physics Discussion

Explore the concept of inertia and Newton's laws through a discussion on skating physics. Would a lawn mower blade cut grass if not attached? Learn about inertia, motion, forces, and acceleration in a simplified yet insightful manner.

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Understanding Inertia and Newton's Laws: Skating Physics Discussion

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  1. Skating

  2. Question: A rotary lawn mower spins its sharp blade rapidly over the lawn and cuts the tops off the grasses. Would the blade still cut the grasses if they weren’t attached to the ground?

  3. Observations about Skating • When you’re at rest on a level surface: • Without a push, you remain stationary • With a push, you start moving that direction • When you’re moving on a level surface: • Without a push, you coast steady & straight • With a push, you change direction or speed

  4. Physics Concept • Inertia • A body at rest tends to remain at rest • A body in motion tends to remain in motion

  5. Simplifying a Situation • Real-world complications are a nuisance • Complications can mask simple physics • Solution: overwhelm the complications! • To demonstrate inertia: • work on level ground (goodbye gravity) • work fast (goodbye friction and air resistance)

  6. Newton’s First Law, Version 1 An object that is free of external influences moves in a straight line and covers equal distances in equal times.

  7. Physical Quantities • Position – an object’s location • Velocity – its change in position with time

  8. Newton’s First Law, Version 2 An object that is free of external influences moves at a constant velocity.

  9. Physical Quantities • Position – an object’s location • Velocity – its change in position with time • Force – a push or a pull

  10. Newton’s First Law An object that is not subject to any outside forces moves at a constant velocity.

  11. Question: A rotary lawn mower spins its sharp blade rapidly over the lawn and cuts the tops off the grasses. Would the blade still cut the grasses if they weren’t attached to the ground?

  12. Physical Quantities • Position – an object’s location • Velocity – change in position with time • Force – a push or a pull • Acceleration – change in velocity with time • Mass – measure of object’s inertia

  13. Newton’s Second Law The force exerted on an object is equal to the product of that object’s mass times its acceleration. The acceleration is in the same direction as the force. force = mass  acceleration

  14. Summary about Skating • Skates can free you from external forces • You normally coast – constant velocity • If at rest, you remain at rest • If moving, you move steadily and straight • When you experience external forces • You accelerate – you change velocity • Acceleration depends on force and mass

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