Classical Mechanics
Understanding motion, forces, and the fundamental laws that govern how objects move
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How does Newton's first law work?
Newton's first law states that an object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion continues moving at constant velocity unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. This describes the property of inertia.
Read more →How does Newton's second law work?
Newton's second law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. This is expressed as F = ma (force equals mass times acceleration).
Read more →How does Newton's third law work?
Newton's third law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When object A exerts a force on object B, object B simultaneously exerts an equal and opposite force on object A.
Read more →What is momentum?
Momentum is the quantity of motion an object has, calculated by multiplying its mass by its velocity. It describes how difficult it is to stop a moving object and is conserved in collisions.
Read more →Why do we have friction?
Friction exists because surfaces are not perfectly smooth—microscopic bumps and irregularities on surfaces interlock and resist motion. Friction helps us walk, grip objects, and control motion.
Read more →How does gravity affect objects?
Gravity affects objects by pulling them toward each other with a force proportional to their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This causes objects to accelerate, fall, and orbit.
Read more →How does the moon affect tides?
The Moon affects tides through its gravitational pull on Earth's oceans. The Moon's gravity is stronger on the side of Earth facing the Moon, pulling water toward it and creating high tides. The Sun also contributes to tides.
Read more →What is escape velocity?
Escape velocity is the minimum speed an object needs to escape a planet's or moon's gravitational pull without further propulsion. For Earth, escape velocity is approximately 11.2 kilometers per second.
Read more →Why do planets orbit the sun?
Planets orbit the Sun because the Sun's gravity pulls them inward while their forward motion carries them forward. These two forces balance, creating a stable elliptical orbit instead of planets falling into or flying away from the Sun.
Read more →Why is gravity weaker on the moon?
Gravity is weaker on the Moon because the Moon has less mass than Earth. Since gravitational force depends on mass, the Moon's smaller mass creates a gravitational field about one-sixth as strong as Earth's.
Read more →How does gravity work?
Gravity is a fundamental force that attracts all objects with mass toward each other. The strength of gravity depends on the mass of the objects and the distance between them, following Newton's law of universal gravitation.
Read more →What is acceleration?
Acceleration is the rate at which an object's velocity changes over time. It describes how quickly an object speeds up, slows down, or changes direction.
Read more →What is velocity?
Velocity is the rate at which an object changes its position, including both speed and direction. Unlike speed, velocity is a vector quantity that describes how fast something is moving and in which direction.
Read more →Why do objects fall?
Objects fall due to gravity, a fundamental force that pulls all objects with mass toward each other. On Earth, gravity pulls objects toward the center of the planet, causing them to fall downward.
Read more →Why do objects move?
Objects move because of forces acting on them. According to Newton's laws of motion, an object at rest stays at rest unless acted upon by a force, and an object in motion continues moving unless acted upon by a force.
Read more →How do sound waves travel?
Sound waves travel by creating compressions and rarefactions in a medium like air, water, or solid materials. These pressure variations propagate outward from the source, transferring energy as they move.
Read more →How does resonance work?
Resonance occurs when an object is forced to vibrate at its natural frequency, causing it to oscillate with maximum amplitude. This happens when the frequency of an applied force matches the object's natural frequency.
Read more →What is amplitude?
Amplitude is the maximum displacement of a wave from its equilibrium position. For sound waves, amplitude determines volume (loudness), and for light waves, it determines brightness.
Read more →What is frequency?
Frequency is the number of complete wave cycles that pass a given point per second. It's measured in hertz (Hz) and determines the pitch of sound waves and the color of light waves.
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