Newton's Second Law of Motion

Explore how force, mass, and acceleration are connected through momentum and understand why different objects create different impacts.

Physics Concept
Select a demonstration to explore Newton's Second Law
Mass: 0 kg
Velocity: 0 m/s
Momentum: 0 kg⋅m/s
Force: 0 N
Table Tennis Ball
(Low Mass, Low Velocity)
🧑
Tap!
Cricket Ball
(Higher Mass, High Velocity)
🧑
OUCH!
p = m × v
2 kg
➡️ 5 m/s
p = 10 kg⋅m/s
5 kg
➡️ 4 m/s
p = 20 kg⋅m/s
💪
Continuous Force
Explore the Second Law of Motion
Understanding the Second Law
Newton's Second Law of Motion
The rate of change of momentum of an object is proportional to the applied unbalanced force in the direction of the force. In simpler terms, when a force acts on an object, it changes the object's momentum, and this change depends on both the magnitude of the force and the time during which it acts.
p = m × v
Momentum (p) = Mass (m) × Velocity (v)
SI Unit: kilogram-metre per second (kg⋅m/s)
🏓
Table Tennis Ball
Light mass and moderate velocity result in low momentum. Impact is negligible - doesn't hurt when it hits you.
🏏
Cricket Ball
Greater mass and high velocity create significant momentum. Can cause injury due to large momentum change on impact.
🚚
Moving Truck
Enormous mass means huge momentum even at low speeds (5 m/s). Extremely dangerous due to massive momentum.
🔫
Bullet
Small mass but extremely high velocity results in large momentum. Deadly impact despite tiny size.
💡 Key Insights
  • ▸ Momentum combines both mass and velocity - both matter for impact
  • ▸ Force changes momentum - unbalanced forces cause acceleration
  • ▸ Time matters - longer force application creates greater momentum change
  • ▸ Direction is important - momentum is a vector quantity like velocity
  • ▸ Real-world safety - understanding momentum helps design safer vehicles and equipment