Newtonian Physics (physics Textbook)

Newtonian Physics Benjamin Crowell Book 1 in the Light and Matter series of introductory physics textbooks www.lightandmatter.com Newtonian Physics The Light and Matter series of introductory physics textbooks: 1 Newtonian Physics 2 Conservation Laws 3 Vibrations and Waves 4 Electricity and Magnetism 5 Optics 6 The Modern Revolution in Physics Newtonian Physics Benjamin Crowell www.lightandmatter.com Light and Matter Fullerton, California www.lightandmatter.com © 1998-2001 by Benjamin Crowell All rights reserved. Edition 2.1 rev. 2001-04-09 ISBN 0-9704670-1-X To Paul Herrschaft and Rich Muller. Brief Contents 0 Introduction and Review ............................... 15 1 Scaling and Order-of-Magnitude Estimates 35 Motion in One Dimension 2 3 4 5 Velocity and Relative Motion ........................ 54 Acceleration and Free Fall ............................ 73 Force and Motion ........................................... 97 Analysis of Forces ....................................... 113 Motion in Three Dimensions 6 Newton’s Laws in Three Dimensions ........ 135 7 Vectors .......................................................... 145 8 Vectors and Motion ..................................... 155 9 Circular Motion ............................................ 167 10 Gravity ........................................................ 181 Exercises ........................................................... 201 Solutions to Selected Problems ...................... 209 Glossary ............................................................. 215 Mathematical Review ........................................ 217 Trig Tables.......................................................... 218 Index ................................................................... 219 Contents Preface ......................................................... 13 A Note to the Student Taking Calculus Concurrently ........................................... 14 0 Introduction and Review 15 0.1 The Scientific Method .......................... 15 0.2 What Is Physics? ................................. 17 0.3 How to Learn Physics .......................... 20 0.4 Self-Evaluation .................................... 22 0.5 Basics of the Metric System ................ 22 0.6 The Newton, the Metric Unit of Force .. 25 0.7 Less Common Metric Prefixes ............. 26 0.8 Scientific Notation ................................ 27 0.9 Conversions ......................................... 28 0.10 Significant Figures ............................. 30 Summary ...................................................... 32 Homework Problems .................................... 33 Motion in One Dimension 53 2 Velocity and Relative Motion 54 1 Scaling and Orderof-Magnitude Estimates 2.1 Types of Motion ................................... 54 2.2 Describing Distance and Time ............. 57 2.3 Graphs of Motion; Velocity. .................. 60 2.4 The Principle of Inertia ......................... 64 2.5 Addition of Velocities ........................... 67 2.6 Graphs of Velocity Versus Time ........... 69 2.7 ∫ Applications of Calculus .................... 69 Summary ...................................................... 71 Homework Problems .................................... 72 35 1.1 Introduction .......................................... 35 1.2 Scaling of Area and Volume ................ 37 1.3 Scaling Applied to Biology ................... 44 1.4 Order-of-Magnitude Estimates ............ 47 Summary ...................................................... 50 Homework Problems .................................... 50