Cutnell & Johnson PHYSICS 6/e

Chapter Four: Forces and Newton's Laws of Motion

Free Body Diagrams Tutorial

University of Guelph Department of Physics.

http://www.physics.uoguelph.ca/
tutorials/fbd/FBD.htm

A tutorial on free body diagrams that includes situations involving gravitation, the normal force, friction, push/pull and tensions. Each situation has Free Body Diagram (FBD) sketches and a detailed analysis. There is also a three level graphic-based FBD self-testing quiz which is elaborate but a little slow. This tutorial is part of the Physics Tutorials at the University of Guelph, Dpearment of Physics


Exploring Gravity

Tutorial written by Mariusz Kovler, School of Physical Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.

http://www.curtin.edu.au/curtin/
dept/phys-sci/gravity/index2.htm

This tutorial covers a range of topics, including Newton's Law of Gravitation, rotational and satellite motion, Kepler's Laws, gravitational potential energy, and modern physics application of gravitation (Black Holes and gravitational waves.


Sir Issac Newton (1643-1727)

Online biography, MacTutor History of Mathematics archive, School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences University, St Andrews University, Scotland.

http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/
~history/Mathematicians/Newton.html

Newton's life and work in mechanics, optics, gravitation, and calculus, are described. There is an extensive set of materials describing Newton's theory of gravitation and the calculation of orbits in particular. Additional information on Newton is found in the Rice Catalog of the Scientific Community in the 16th and 17th Centuries.


Inclined Planes and Frictional Forces

Virtual Laboratory, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR.

http://zebu.uoregon.edu/nsf/friction.html

A simulation measuring and describing friction between a block and an inclined plane from the Virtual Lab.


Newton's Cannon

Based on a marvellous woodcut from Newton's Principia Philosophiae naturalis principia mathematica, this JAVA applet lets one see how a cannon fired from a mountaintop can be placed into orbit.

http://www.physics.purdue.edu/class/
applets/NewtonsCannon/newtmtn.html

Satellite orbital motion as predicted in 1687.


Forces, Inertia and Accelerations...

Cockpit Physics at the US Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO.

http://www.usafa.af.mil/dfp/
cockpit-phys/cp_home.htm

The USAFA's Cockpit Physics curriculum teaches introductory physics via airforce and military applications. This is a very complex site which contains investigatory activities, theoretical descriptions and quicktime movies related to learning about forces, Newton's Laws, free fall, and gravitation.

 



Comments, corrections and suggestions to Dan MacIsaac
CJ 6/e Chapter Index