Falling objects eventually reach terminal velocity – where their resultant force is zero. Stopping distances depend on speed, mass, road surface and reaction time.
Newton's Second Law of motion can be described by this equation:
resultant force = mass × acceleration
\[F = m~a\]
This is when:
The equation shows that the acceleration of an object is:
In other words, the acceleration of an object increases if the resultant force on it increases, and decreases if the mass of the object increases.
The ratio of force over acceleration is called inertial mass. Inertial mass is a measure of how difficult it is to change the velocity of an object.
Calculate the force needed to accelerate a 22 kg cheetah at 15 m/s².
\[F = m~a\]
\[F = 22 \times 15\]
\[F = 330~N\]
Calculate the force needed to accelerate a 15 kg gazelle at 10 m/s².
\[F = m~a\]
\[F = 15 \times 10\]
\[F = 150~N\]
It is important to be able to estimate speeds, accelerations and forces involved in road vehicles. The symbol ~ is used to indicate that a value or answer is an approximate one. The table gives some examples.
| Vehicle | Maximum legal speed on a single carriageway in m/s | Mass in kg | Acceleration in m/s2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family car | ~27 | ~1,600 | ~3 |
| Lorry | ~22 | ~36,000 | ~0.4 |
Estimate the force needed to accelerate a family car to its top speed on a single carriageway.
Using values of ~1,600 kg and ~3 m/s2, and F = m a:
1,600 × 3 = ~4,800 N
Estimate the force needed to accelerate a lorry to its top speed on a single carriageway.
Using values of ~36,000 kg and ~0.4 m/s2, and F = m a:
Force (F) is ~14,400 N