Newton's Laws

We have 20 ready-to-use problem sets on the topic of Newton's Laws of Motion, along with many review sets comprised of the problems in these sets (CP = Conceptual Physics, HP = Honors Physics).

These problem sets focus on situations in which the forces and accelerations are directed along the traditional coordinate axes.

Problem Sets

Set NL1 – Mass vs. Weight: For Earthlings
7 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Mathematically relate the object mass, object weight, for situations on planet Earth.

Set NL2 – Mass vs. Weight: Out of This World
5 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Mathematically relate the object mass, object weight, and the gravitational field strength for gravitational environments other than Earth's.

Set NL3 – Force Diagrams and Fnet
5 Problems - Very Easy Difficulty

Given a force diagram with the values of the individual forces, determine the net force experienced by the object.

Set NL4 – Net Force
6 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Given the values of the individual forces acting upon an object – either in words or in a diagram – determine the net force.

Set NL5 – Routine Fnet = m•a Problems
9 Problems - Very Easy Difficulty

Use Newton's second law equation to solve for the value of net force, mass, or acceleration if given the other two quantities.

Set NL6 – Using a = Fnet / m as a Guide to Thinking
6 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Use proportional reasoning and the a = Fnet / m equation to predict the acceleration that results when the net force or mass or both are altered by some factor.

Set NL7 - Force Diagrams and Acceleration
9 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Given a force diagram with the values of the individual forces, determine the object mass, the net force, and the acceleration experienced by the object.

Set NL8 - Newton's 2nd Law Horizontal Acceleration
7 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Given information about the mass and the individual force values for an object, determine the acceleration. All accelerations are horizontal.

Set NL9 - Newton's 2nd Law: Vertical Acceleration
5 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Given information about the mass and the individual force values for an object, determine the acceleration. All accelerations are vertical.

Set NL10 - Newton's 2nd Law: Unknown Force
9 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Analyze both horizontal and vertical scenarios to determine an unknown force value if given the acceleration and other information.

Set NL11 - Friction and Mu 1
7 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Solve problems involving the use of a coefficient of friction value. Most problems are highly scaffolded.

Set NL12 - Friction and Mu 2
7 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Solve problems involving the use of a coefficient of friction value. Some of the problems are scaffolded.

Set NL13 - Friction and Mu 3
7 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Solve problems involving the use of a coefficient of friction value.

Set NL14 - Air Resistance
6 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Analyze a vertical falling situation involving air resistance. Most situations involve skydiving, parachuting, or airboarding.

Set NL15 - Tension
7 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Analyze situations involving tension forces. Situations include both static situations and situations involving an acceleration.

Set NL16 - Newton's Second and Third Laws
6 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Analyze situations that require a thorough understanding of Newton's third law and interaction force pairs.

Set NL17 - Fnet = m•a With Kinematic Equations 1
6 Problems - Hard Difficulty

Combine the use of F_net = m•a with kinematic equations to solve for an unknown. All problems include some degree of scaffolding.

Set NL18 - Fnet = m•a With Kinematic Equations 2
6 Problems - Hard Difficulty

Combine the use of F_net = m•a with kinematic equations to solve for an unknown. All problems are scaffolded.

Set NL19 - Fnet = m•a With Kinematic Equations 3
7 Problems - Hard Difficulty

Combine the use of Fnet = m•a with kinematic equations to solve for an unknown.

Set NL20 - Two-Body Problems
7 Problems - Very Hard Difficulty

Use a system analysis and an individual body analysis in order to solve for an acceleration and an internal force for a two-body problem. Both objects move together in the same direction.

Summary Sets

These activities are combinations of the above Problem Sets, used primarily for Lesson Plans activities and Review

Newton's Laws 1: Net Force and Acceleration (CP)
4 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Use the Newton's second law equation and an understanding of force diagrams and net force to solve the following problems.

Newton's Laws 1: Mass and Weight
5 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Use the equation relating mass and weight to solve the following problems.

Newton's Laws 1: Mass and Weight (HP)
5 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Use the mass-weight relationship to solve the following problems.

Newton's Laws 2: Net Force and Acceleration (CP)
6 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Use the Newton's second law equation and an understanding of force diagrams and net force to solve the following problems.

Newton's Laws 2: Equations as a Guide to Thinking
5 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Use the proportionality statements of Newton's second law equation to solve the following problems.

Newton's Laws 2: Equations as a Guide to Thinking (HP)
4 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Use the proportionality statements of Newton's second law equation to solve the following problems.

Newton's Laws 3: Skydiving (CP)
3 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Use the Newton's second law equation and an understanding of force diagrams and net force to solve the following problems.

Newton's Laws 3: Net Force
5 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Use force diagrams and the Newton's second law equation to solve the following problems.

Newton's Laws 3: Net Force and Acceleration (HP)
6 Problems - Easy Difficulty

Use force diagrams and the Newton's second law equation to solve the following problems.

Newton's Laws 4: Newton's Second Law (CP)
3 Problems - Medium Difficulty

Use the Newton's second law equation and an understanding of force diagrams and net force to solve the following problems.

Newton's Laws 4: Fnet = m•a
6 Problems - Easy Difficulty