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PHYSICS
Chapter 4: Laws of Motion
 LAWS OF MOTION
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Laws of Motion
Introduction
External force is needed to make a stationary body move as well as to stop a moving body.

• To understand this chapter i.e. Laws of Motion, lets have a quick recap on what we
already know about Motion.
• Motion in simple is tendency to move. An object is said to be in motion when it changes
its position with time
• A body is said to be at Rest if it is not moving
• An external force is always involved in motion. This force helps body to perform required
actions and these actions are according to rules or laws i.e. Laws of Motion.
Inertia
The property of an object by virtue of which it cannot change its state of uniform motion
along a straight line or rest on its own is called as inertia. It is the measure of the mass of a
body. There are 3 types of inertia.
• Inertia of rest
• Inertia of motion
• Inertia of direction

Difference between Momentum and Inertia

Momentum Inertia

Momentum is a vector quantity as it is Inertia is a scalar quantity as it is the

the tendency of a body to remain in resistance offered by the body to any
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motion. change in its velocity.

Momentum is denoted as ‘p’. Inertia is denoted as ‘I’.

The momentum of a body of mass ‘m’ The inertia cannot be calculated using a
moving with a velocity of ‘v’ is calculated formula.
as p=m × v

Linear momentum and angular The inertia of rest, inertia of motion, and
momentum are the two types of inertia of direction are the three types of
momentum. inertia.

Momentum depends on mass and Inertia depends only on mass.

velocity.

The total momentum is conserved. Inertia has nothing to do with the

conservation of energy.

Force
Balanced & Unbalanced forces
Balanced Forces:
• Equal & Opposite forces
• Do not cause any change in motion
Unbalanced Forces:
• Unequal forces
• Can be in the same or opposite direction
• Causes a change in motion

For example, in Tug of war, If teams 1 & 2 apply equal forces in opposite directions, there would
be no net force. This is Balanced force.

However, if Team 1 exerts more force than Team 2, then there would be a net movement
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towards Team 1 and Team 1 would win. This is unbalanced force.

A force is a push or pull upon an object resulting from the object’s interaction with another
object. Force can be categorized into two types
Constant Force
Action at a distance force
What Is Force? Types Of Forces and Their Nature

Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle believed that the motion of a body is caused by
something external and even to stop that motion, something external is required.
We have given this something special a name: Force. We all have heard this word somewhere. In
fact, it is so commonly used that we use in conversing in everyday life. In physics, we say that
pushing or pulling requires force. When we are pushing a body we are applying force away from
ourselves, and when we are pulling a body we are applying force towards ourselves. Not only us,
but even non-living things also exert forces. Earth, for instance, exerts a gravitational force on all
the objects present on Earth.
Roughly we can say that force is an interaction between two objects. Note that this is not the
exact definition of force. The SI unit of force is Newton, and force is a vector quantity, i.e. it has
both magnitude and direction.
Types of forces:
In our day-to-day life, we observe various types of forces around us. Some of these common
types of forces are:
Gravitational force: In general, this is a force which exists because of the attraction between
two bodies by the virtue of their masses. It is given by:

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where,
G = Universal constant having value of 6.674 × 10−11 Nm2/kg2
m1, m2 are the masses of the bodies
r is the distance between them
Electromagnetic force: It is a force exerted by two charged particles on each other. Friction and
Tension are the common examples of electromagnetic force.
Nuclear force: This is also known as strong force or nuclear interactions. Every atom has protons
and neutrons. Nuclear force is responsible for binding neutrons and protons in an atom
together. This force is many magnitudes larger than any force discussed here but it has a very
short range of influence after which other forces mentioned here become dominating.
Weak force: Sometimes a neutron changes itself to a proton, and emits an electron, and a
particle called antineutrino. This process is called beta decay. Weak forces are responsible for
such kind of decays and interactions. The weak force is actually a force of attraction that work at
an even shorter range of 0.1 percent of the diameter of a proton. The forces which are
responsible for such a process differ from gravitational, electromagnetic, or nuclear forces. Such
forces are called weak forces.
Newton’s Laws of Motion
First Law: “A body continues in its state of rest or of uniform motion in a straight line unless it is
compelled by some external force to change that state.”
A body at rest tends to remain at rest and a body in uniform motion tends to remain in the state
of uniform motion until & unless an external force is applied on it.
For example, a ball lying on the table at rest will remain at rest until an external force is applied
on it.

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Second Law: “The net force produced by an object is directly proportional to the magnitude of
the net force and takes place in the direction of the force.”
The rate of change of momentum of a body is directly proportional to the applied force and
takes place in the direction in which the force acts.
Alternatively, the relationship between an object's mass m, its acceleration a, and the applied
force F is F = ma; the direction of the force vector is the same as the direction of acceleration
vector.

[Greater the change in momentum, greater is force]

Let, m: mass of the body be constant

F = ma
Newton’s Second law is consistent with the First law
F = ma
If F = 0, then a = 0
According to First law, if a = 0, Then F = 0
Thus, both the laws are in sync.
Third Law: “ To every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. ”Important Questions
Aristotle observed that the force is mandatory to keep an object in uniform motion is wrong. He
found that force is required only to keep the opposing force of friction.
Galileo came to a conclusion about law of inertia with the help of simple observations on the
motion of objects on the inclined planes. The statement of Newton’s first law is re-framed as
“Everybody continues to be in its state of rest or of uniform motion until and unless an external
force acts on it.”
To every action, there is always an equal and opposite reaction.
For example, when you hold the ball, a force acts on the ball (Action), and an equal and opposite
force acts on your hand (Reaction).
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• Action & Reaction forces always act on different bodies

FAB = FBA
FAB: Force acting on A by B
FBA: Force acting on B by A
• Action & Reaction forces occur at the same instant
Momentum (p) of a body is the product of its mass (m) and velocity (v): p = mv
Momentum
Newton’s first law was for scenarios where net force = 0. The second law is for scenarios with
net force not equal to 0. Momentum plays a crucial role in Second law.
• Momentum is the product of mass of a body & its velocity
• It is a Vector quantity
• It is denoted by p = mv
For example, A ball of 1 kg moving with 10m/sec has a momentum 10kg m/sec.
Momentum of a system remains conserved. Therefore,
• Greater force is required to set heavier bodies in motion

• Greater force is required to stop bodies moving with higher velocities

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Greater the change in momentum in a given time, greater is the force that needs to be applied.
In other words, greater the change in momentum vector, greater is the force applied.
Conservation of Momentum
In an isolated system, the total momentum is conserved.
Example 1. In a Spinning top, total momentum = 0. For every point, there is another point on
the opposite side that cancels its momentum.

Example 2. Bullet fired from a Rifle

Initially, momentum = 0
Later, the trigger is pulled, bullet gains momentum in direction, but this is cancelled by rifle’s ß
momentum. Therefore, total momentum = 0

During the process, the chemical energy in gunpowder gets converted into heat, sound and
chemical energy.
Example3. Rocket propulsion
Initially, mass of rocket: M. It just started moving with velocity v
Initial momentum = Mv

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Later, gases are ejected continuously in opposite direction with a velocity relative to rocket in
downward direction giving a forward push to the rocket.
Mass of the rocket becomes (M-m)
Velocity of the rocket becomes (v + v’)
Final momentum = (M –m) (v + v’)
Thus, Mass * velocity = constant
Impulse
• Impulse is defined as a force multiplied by time it acts over.
• For example: Tennis racket strikes a ball, an impulse is applied to the ball. The racket puts a
force on the ball for a short time period.

△t
𝐹
△p
△p
𝐹= = 𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑚
△t
Collision of Bodies

Let the two bodies 1 & 2 have momentum p1 & p2 before they collided with each other. After
collision their momentum are p1’ and p2’ respectively.
By Newton’s Second law,
dp
F=
dt
(p1 −p1 )
For 1: F12 =
∆𝐭
(p2 −p2 )
For 2: F21 =
∆𝐭
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By Newton’s Third law,

F 12 = - F21
(p1 −p1 ) (p2 −p2 )
=
∆𝐭 ∆𝐭
(p1 – p1) = (p2 – p2)
p1 + p 2 = p1 + p2
Final momentum of the system = Initial momentum of the system
Aristotle’s fallacy
Aristotle, the Greek Scientist held the view that an external force is required to keep a body in
uniform motion.
His concept is obsolete now, because he considered only one side of motion and fails to explain
the other i.e. if body is in motion then how does it come to rest? There came the concept of the
opposing external force of Friction.
For example, a ball rolled on the floor comes to rest after some time due to opposing force of
friction.

An external force is required to keep a body in motion, only if resistive forces (like frictional &
viscous forces) are present.

Top Formulae

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Important Questions

Multiple Choice questions-

1. A spring balance is attached to the ceiling of a lift. A man hangs his bag on the
spring and the spring reads 49 N, when the lift is stationary. If the lift moves
downwards with an acceleration of 5 m/s, the reading of the spring balance will be
(a) 15 N
(b) 24 N
(c) 49 N
(d) 74 N
2. Two forces 6 N and 8 N act at a point O. If the angle between the lines of action
of the force is 90°, then their resultant is
(a) 14 N
(b) 12 N
(c) 10 N
(d) 48 N
3. A body of mass 15 kg moving with a velocity of 10 m/s has its velocity reduced to
6 m/s in two seconds. The force that produced this change in velocity is
(a) 60 N
(b) 30 N
(c) 45 N
(d) 20 N
4. The frame of reference attached to a satellite of the earth is
(a) an inertial frame
(b) an absolute frame at rest with respect to the stars
(c) a non – inertial frame
(d) a gravitational frame
5. A machine gun fires a bullet of mass 40 g with a velocity of 1200 ms-1. The man
holding it can exert a maximum force on 144 N on the gum. How many bullets can
he fire per second at the most?
(a) one
(b) four

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(c) two
(d) three
6. A block of mass M is placed on a flat surface. A force is applied to move it parallel
to the surface. The frictional force f developed is proportional to the
(a) square of the mass of the body
(b) mass of the body
(c) reciprocal of the mass of the body
(d) reciprocal of the square of the body
7. A passenger in a moving bus is thrown forward when the bus is suddenly
stopped. This is explained
(a) by Newtons first law
(b) by Newtons second law
(c) by Newtons third law
(d) by the principle of conservation of momentum
8. A rocket with a lift-off mass of 3.5 × 10 kg is blasted upwards with an acceleration
of 10 m/s². The initial thrust of the blast is (take g = 10 m/s²)
(a) 1.75 × 105N
(b) 3.5 × 105N
(c) 7.0 × 105N
(d) 14 .0 × 105N
9. A gun of mass 1000 kg fires a projectile of mass 1 kg with a horizontal velocity of
100 m/s. The velocity of recoil of the gun in the horizontal direction is
(a) 5 m/s
(b) 0.1 m/s
(c) 15 m/s
(d) 20 m/s
10. A body is sliding down a rough inclined plane which makes an angle of 30
degree with the horizontal. If the co-efficient of friction is 0.26, the acceleration in
m/s² is
(a) 1.95
(b) 2.78
(c) 3.47
(d) 4.6
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Very Short:
1. (a) Why do we beat dusty blankets with a stick to remove dust particles?
(b) A stone when thrown on a glass window smashes the window pane to
pieces. But a bullet fired from a gun passes through it making a hole. Why?
2. (a) If you jerk a piece of paper from under a book quick enough, the book will
not move, why?
(b) Passengers sitting or standing in a moving bus fall in forward direction when
the bus suddenly stops. Why?
3. (a) Why are passengers thrown outward when a bus in which they are
travelling suddenly takes a turn around a circular road?
(b) Is any force required to move a body with constant velocity?
4. (a) Why a one-rupee coin placed on a revolving table flies off tangentially?
(b) Why mud flies off tangentially to the wheel of a cycle?
5. (a) When the electric current is switched off, why the blades of a fan keep on
moving for some time?
(b) Why the passengers fall backward when a bus starts moving suddenly?
6. (a) A body of mass m is moving on a horizontal table with constant velocity.
What is the force on the table?
(b) Name a factor on which the inertia of a body depends.
7. (a) Rocket works on which principle of conservation?
(b) Is the relation F→=ma→ applicable to the motion of a rocket?
8. (a) Will a person while firing a bullet from a gun experience a backward jerk?
Why?
(b) A bomb explodes in mid-air into two equal fragments. What is the relation
between the directions of their motion? Answer:
9. (a) What happens to the acceleration of an object if the net force on it is
doubled?
(b) An electron moving with a certain velocity collides against a stationary
proton and sticks to it. Is the law of conservation of linear momentum true in
this case?
10.(a) According to Newton’s third law of motion, every force is accompanied by
an equal (in magnitude) and opposite (in direction) force called reaction, then
how can a movement take place?

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(b) You can move a brick easily by pushing it with your foot on a smooth floor,
but, if you kick it, then your foot is hurt. Why?
Short Questions:
1. (a) A learner shooter fired a shot from his rifle and his shoulder got injured ¡n
the process. What mistake did he commit?
(b) When the horse suddenly stops, the rider falls in the forward direction.
Why? Explain it.
2. (a) Newton’s first law of motion is the law of Inertia. Explain.
(b) What happens to a stone tied to the end of a string and whirled in a circle if
the string suddenly breaks? Explain why?
3. (a) An astronaut accidentally gets separated out of his small spaceship
accelerating in inter-steller space at a constant rate of 100 ms-2. What is the
acceleration of the astronaut at the instant after he is outside the spaceship?
(b) How is it that a stone dropped from a certain height falls much more rapidly
as compared to a parachute under similar conditions?
4. (a) When a man jumps out of a boat, then it is pushed away. Why?
(b) Explain how lubricants reduce friction?
5. Two hoys on ice-skates hold a rope between them. One boy is much heavier
than the other. The lightweight boy pulls on the rope. How will they move?
6. Explain why ball bearings are used in machinery?
7. Why a horse has to apply more force to start a cart than to keep it moving?
Explain.
8. Sand is thrown on tracks or roads covered with snow. Explain why?
Long Questions:
1. (a) State and prove impulse-momentum Theorem.
(b) Prove that Newton’s Second law is the real law of motion.
2. Derive the general expression for the velocity of a rocket in flight and obtain
the expression for the thrust acting on it.
3. (a) Define inertia. What are its different types? Give examples.
(b) Explain Newton’s First law of motion. Why do we call it the law of inertia?
(c) State Newton’s Second law of motion. How does it help to measure force?
Also, state the units of force.
4. (a) State Newton’s Third law of motion. Discuss its consequences.

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(b) State the law of conservation of linear momentum and illustrate it with
examples.
(c) Define the terms – momentum and impulse. What are their units in the S.I.
system?
Assertion Reason Questions:
1. Directions: Each of these questions contain two statements, Assertion and
Reason. Each of these questions also has four alternative choices, only one of
which is the correct answer. You have to select one of the codes (a), (b), (c) and
(d) given below.
(a) Assertion is correct, reason is correct; reason is a correct explanation for
assertion.
(b) Assertion is correct, reason is correct; reason is not a correct explanation
for assertion
(c) Assertion is correct, reason is incorrect
(d) Assertion is incorrect, reason is correct.
Assertion: On a rainy day, it is difficult to drive a car or bus at high speed.
Reason: The value of coefficient of friction is lowered due to wetting of the surface.
2. Directions: Each of these questions contain two statements, Assertion and
Reason. Each of these questions also has four alternative choices, only one of
which is the correct answer. You have to select one of the codes (a), (b), (c) and
(d) given below.
(a) Assertion is correct, reason is correct; reason is a correct explanation for
assertion.
(b) Assertion is correct, reason is correct; reason is not a correct explanation
for assertion
(c) Assertion is correct, reason is incorrect
(d) Assertion is incorrect, reason is correct.
Assertion: For the motion of electron around nucleus, Newton’s second law is used.
Reason: Newton’s second law can be used for motion of any object.
Case Study Questions:
1. This principle is a consequence of Newton’s second and third laws of motion. In
an isolated system (i.e., a system having no external force), mutual forces (called
internal forces) between pairs of particles in the system causes momentum
change in individual particles. Let a bomb be at rest, then its momentum will be
zero. If the bomb explodes into two equals parts, then the parts fly off in exactly
opposite directions with same speed, so that the total momentum is still zero.
Here, no external force is applied on the system of particles (bomb).

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i. A bullet of mass 10 g is fired from a gun of mass 1kg with recoil velocity of
gun 5 m/s. The muzzle velocity will be
(a) 30 km/min
(b) 60 km/min
(c) 30 m/s
(d) 500 m/s
ii. A shell of mass 10kg is moving with a velocity of 10ms - 1 when it blasts and
forms two parts of mass 9kg and 1kg respectively. If the first mass is
stationary, the velocity of the second is
(a) 1m s-1
(b) 10m s-1
(c) 100m s-1
(d) 1000m s-1
iii. A bullet of mass 0.1kg is fired with a speed of 100 ms -1 The mass of gun
being 50kg, then the velocity of recoil becomes
(a) 0.05 m s-1
(b) 0.5 m s-1
(c) 0.1 m s-1
(d) 0.2 m s-1
iv. A unidirectional force F varying with time T as shown in the figure acts on a
body initially at rest for a short duration 2T. Then, the velocity acquired by
the body is

π F0 T
(a)
4m
π F0 T
(b)
2m

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F0 T
(c)
4m
(d) Zero
v. Two masses of M and 4M are moving with equal kinetic energy. The ratio
of their linear momenta is
(a)1 : 8
(b)1 : 4
(c)1 : 2
(d)4 : 1
2. When bodies are in contact, there are mutual contact forces satisfying the third
law of motion. The component of contact force normal to the surfaces in contact
is called normal reaction. The component parallel to the surfaces in contact is
called friction.

In the above figure, 8kg and 6kg are hanging stationary from a rough pulley and
are about to move. They are stationary due to roughness of the pulley.
i. Which force is acting between pulley? and rope?
(a) Gravitational force
(b) Tension force
(c) Frictional force
(d) Buoyant force
ii. The normal reaction acting on the system is
(a) 8 g
(b) 6 g
(c) 2 g
(d) 14 g
iii. The tension is more on side having mass of
(a) 8kg
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(b) 6kg
(c) Same on both
(d) Nothing can be said
iv. The force of friction acting on the rope is
(a) 20 N
(b) 30 N
(c) 40 N
(d) 50 N
v. Coefficient of friction of the pulley is
1
(a)
6
1
(b)
7
1
(c)
5
1
(d)
4

✓ Answer Key:
Multiple Choice Answers-
1. Answer: (b) 24 N
2. Answer: (c) 10 N
3. Answer: (b) 30 N
4. Answer: (c) a non – inertial frame
5. Answer: (d) three
6. Answer: (b) mass of the body
7. Answer: (a) by Newtons first law
8. Answer: (c) 7.0 × 105N
9. Answer: (b) 0.1 m/s
10.Answer: (b) 2.78
Very Short Answers:
1. Answer:
(a) It is done due to inertia of rest.
(b) This is due to the inertia of rest.

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2. Answer:
(a) It is due to the inertia of rest.
(b) This is due to the inertia of motion.
3. Answer:
(a) This is due to the inertia of direction.
(b) No.
4. Answer:
(a) This is due to the inertia of direction.
(b) This is due to the inertia of direction.
5. Answer:
(a) This is due to the inertia of motion.
(b) This is due to the inertia of rest.
6. Answer:
(a) mg i.e., equal to the weight of the body.
(b) Mass.
7. Answer:
(a) Law of conservation of linear momentum.
(b) No.
8. Answer:
(a) Yes, it is due to the law of conservation of linear momentum.
(b) The two fragments will fly off in two opposite directions.
9. Answer:
𝐹
(a) As a = i.e., a ∝ F, so acceleration will be doubled when m the force is
𝑚
doubled.
(b) Yes, it is true.
10.Answer:
(a) As the action and reaction never act on the same body, so the motion is
possible.
(b) As Ft remains constant, so if t is reduced, then F will be increased and hence
hurt our foot.
Short Questions Answers:
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1. Answer:
(a) We know that a gun recoils i.e. moves back after firing. To avoid injury to
the shoulder, the gun must he held tightly against the shoulder. The learner
shooter might have not held it tightly against his shoulder and hence the gun
must have injured his shoulder after firing.
(b) When the horse suddenly stops, the rider falls in forwarding direction due
to the inertia of motion.
Explanation: The lower portion of the rider comes to rest along with the horse
while the upper portion of the rider continues to move forward. Hence, he falls
forward.
2. Answer:
(a) According to Newton’s first law of motion, a body can’t change its state of
rest or of uniform motion along a straight line unless an external force acts on
it. It means that the natural tendency of the material body is to continue in the
state of rest or that of uniform motion which is termed as inertia. Thus,
Newton’s first law is the law of inertia.
(b) The stoneflies off tangentially to the circle along a straight line at the point
where the string breaks. It is due to the inertia of direction. When the string
breaks, the force acting on the stone ceases. In the absence of force, the
stoneflies away in the direction of instantaneous velocity which is along the
tangent to the circular path.
3. Answer:
(a) According to Newton’s first law of motion, the moment he is out of the
spaceship, there is no external force on the astronaut, thus his acceleration is
zero. Here we are assuming that he is out of the gravitational field of heavenly
bodies i.e. there are no nearby stars to exert a gravitational force on him and
the small spaceship exerts a negligible gravitational attraction on him.
(b) As the surface area of a parachute is much larger as compared to the
surface area of a stone, so the air resistance, i. e. fluid friction in the case of the
parachute is much larger than in the case of stone. Hence the parachute falls
slowly.
4. Answer:
(a) This is due to Newton’s third law of motion. When the man jumps out of
the boat, he applies a force on it in the backward direction, and in turn, the
reaction of the boat on the man pushes him out of the boat.
(b) The lubricants spread as a thin layer between the two surfaces. The motion
now is between the surface and the lubricant layer which changes the dry

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friction into wet friction. As wet friction is less than dry friction, hence
lubricants reduce friction.
5. Answer: The light-weight boy is doing the action on the heavy boy by pulling
the rope. According to Newton’s third law, equal and opposite force (reaction)
also acts on the light boy. As the mass of the boy pulling the rope is lesser, so
the acceleration produced in him will be more. Thus, both the boys move tow;
rds each other and the lighter boy will move faster.
6. Answer: We know that rolling friction is much lesser than sliding friction, so we
convert the sliding friction into rolling friction which is done using ball bearings
that are placed in between the axle and the hub of the wheel. The ball bearings
tend to roll around the axle as the wheel turns and as such the frictional force
is reduced.
7. Answer: Static friction comes into play when the horse applies force to start
the motion in the cart. On the other hand, kinetic friction comes into play
when the cart is moving.
Also, we know that the static friction is greater than the kinetic friction, so the
horse has to apply more force to start a cart than to keep it moving.
8. Answer: When the roads (or tracks) are covered with snow, then there is a
considerable reduction of frictional force between the tires of the vehicles and
the road (or between the track and the wheels of the vehicle or train) which
leads to the skidding of the ehicles (or trains). Thus, driving is not safe. When
sand is thrown on the snow-covered roads (or tracks), then the force of friction
increases, so safe driving is possible.
Long Questions Answers:
1. Answer:
1. It states that the impulse of force on a body is equal to the change in
momentum of the body.
i.e. J = Ft = P2 – P1
Proof: From Newton’s Second law of motion, we know that

Let P1 and P2 be the linear momenta of the body at time t = 0 and t

respectively.
∴ integrating equation (i) within these limits, we get

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Hence proved.
2. Proof: If we can show that Newton’s first and third laws are contained in the
second law, then we can say that it is the real law of motion.
1. First law is contained in second law: According to Newton’s second law of
motion,
F = ma …(i)
where m = mass of the body on which an external force F is applied and a =
acceleration produced in it.
If F = 0, then from equation (1), we get
ma = 0, but as m ≠ 0
∴a=0
which means that there will be no acceleration in the body if no external force
is applied. This shows that a body at rest will remain at rest and a body in
uniform motion will continue to move along the same straight line in the
absence of an external force. This is the statement of Newton’s first law of
motion. Hence, the First law of motion is contained in the Second law of
motion.
2. Third law is contained in second law: Consider an isolated system of two
bodies A and B. Let them act and react internally.
Let FAB = force applied on body A by body B
and FBA = force applied on body B by body A
𝑑𝑝𝐴
It = rate of change of momentum of body A
𝑑𝑡
and
𝑑𝑝𝐵
= rate of change of momentum of body B
𝑑𝑡
Then according to Newton’s second law of motion,
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(2) and (3) gives

As no external force acts on the system (∵ it is isolated), therefore according to

Newton’s second law of motion,

or
Action = – Reaction,
which means that action and reaction are equal and opposite. It is the
statement of Newton’s 3rd law of motion. Thus 3rd law is contained in the
second law of motion.
As both First and Third Law is contained in Second law, so Second law is the
real law of motion.
2. Answer:
The working of a rocket is based upon the principle of conservation of
momentum. Consider the flight of the rocket in outer space where no external
forces act on it.
Let mo = initial mass of rocket with fuel.
Vu = initial velocity of the rocket,
m = mass of the rocket at any instant t.
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v = velocity of the rocket at that instant.

dm = mass of the gases ejected by the rocket, in a small-time it.
u =H velocity of exhaust gases,
DV = increase in the velocity of the rocket in a time dt.
∴ Change in the momentum of exhaust gases = dm. u
Change in momentum of rocket = – (m – dm) dv.
A negative sign shows that the rocket is moving in a direction opposite to the
motion of exhaust gases.
Applying the law of conservation of linear momentum,
dm.u = – (m – dm) dv …(1)
As dm being very small as compared to m, so it can be neglected, Thus, eqn. (1)
reduces to
dm.u = – m dv
or
𝑑𝑚
dv = – u …(2)
𝑚
Instantaneous velocity of the rocket:
At t = 0, mass of rocket = m0, velocity of rocket = vo.
At t = t, mass of rocket = m, velocity of rocket = v.
∴ Integrating Eqn. (1) within these limits, we get

In actual practice, the velocity of exhaust gases nearly remains constant.

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equation (3) gives the instantaneous velocity of the rocket. In general vo = 0 at t

= 0,
∴ Eqn. (3) reduces to

From Eqn. (4), we conclude that the velocity of the rocket at any instant
depends upon:
• speed (u) of the exhaust gases.
• Log of the ratio of initial mass (m0) of the rocket to its mass (m) at that
instant of time.
Upthrust on the rocket (F): It is the upward force exerted on the rocket by the
expulsion of exhaust gases. It is obtained as follows:
Dividing Eqn. (2) by dt, we get

where F = ma is the instantaneous force (thrust).

From Eqn. (5), we conclude that the thrust (F) on the rocket at any instant is
the product of the velocity of exhaust gases and the rate of combustion of fuel
at that instant. Here negative sign shows that the thrust and velocity of
exhaust gases are in opposite direction.
3. Answer:
(a) The tendency of bodies to remain in their state of rest or uniform motion
along a straight line in the absence of an external force is called inertia.
Inertia is of the following three types:
1. The inertia of rest: When a body continues to lie at the same position with
respect to its surrounding, it is said to possess inertia of rest. This situation
may be changed only by the application of external force. For example, if a
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cot or sofa is lying in a particular place in the house, it will remain there even
after days or years unless someone removes (by applying force) the same
from its position. This is an example of the inertia of rest.
2. The inertia of motion: When a body is moved on a frictionless surface or a
body is thrown in a vacuum, it will continue to move along its original path
unless acted upon by an external force. In actual situations, air or floor etc.
exert friction on the moving bodies so we are unable to visualize a force-free
motion. This type of inertia when a body continues to move is called the
inertia of direction.
3. In the above examples it is found that the direction of motion of the body
or particle also does not change unless an external force acts on it. This
tendency to preserve the direction of motion is called the inertia of
direction.
(b) According to the First law of motion, “Everybody continues to be in the state
of rest or of uniform motion along a straight line until it is acted upon by an
external force.”
It means that if a book lying on a table, it will remain there for days or years
together unless force is applied on it from outside to pick it.
Similarly, if a body is moving along a straight line with some speed, it will
continue to do so until some external force is applied to it to change its
direction of motion.
Thus, First law tells us the following:
It tells us about the tendency of bodies to remain in the state of rest or of
motion and the bodies by themselves can neither change the state of rest
nor of uniform motion. This tendency is called inertia. To break the inertia of
rest or motion or direction, we need an external force. Thus the definition of
the first law matches with the definition of inertia and hence first law is
called the law of inertia.
The first law of motion also provides the definition of another important
physical quantity called force. Thus force is that agency which changes or
tends to change the state of rest or of uniform motion of a body along a
straight line.
(c) It states that the time rate of change of momentum of a body is directly
proportional to the force applied to it.

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𝑑𝑣
where a = = acceleration produced in the body of mass m.
𝑑𝑡
k = proportionality constant which depends on the system of units chosen to
measure F, m, and a.
In the S.I. system, k = l,
∴ F = ma
The magnitude of the force is given by
F = ma …. (2)
Note: We have assumed that the magnitude of velocity is smaller and much
less than the speed of light. Only under this condition Eqns. (1) and (2) hold
good.
The definition of the Second law and its mathematical form is given in Eqn.
(2) provide us a mean of measuring force.
One can easily find the change in velocity of a body in a certain interval of
time. Both velocity and time can be easily measured. Thus, by knowing the
mass of the body one can determine both change in momentum as well as
the acceleration of the body produced by an external force. If the force is
increased, the rate of change of momentum is also found to increase. So
also, is the acceleration. Now with known values of m and we can find F.
Units of force: Force in S.I. units is measured in newton or N. From Eqn. (1)
or (2) we can see that a newton of force is that fore? which produces 1 ms-2
acceleration in the body of mass 1 kg.
1 newton = 1 kilogram × 1 metre/(second)2
or
1 N = 1 kg × 1 ms-2 = 1 kg ms-2
In CGS system force is measured in dyne
1 dyne = 1 gram × 1 cm/s2 = 1 g cm s-2
Since 1 N = 1 kgm s-2 = 1000 g × 100 cm s-2

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= 105 g cm s-2 = 105 dyne

1 N = 105 dyne
or
1 dyne = 105 N
Gravitational Unit: If a falling mass of 1 kg is accelerated towards the Earth
with 9.8 ms-2, then the force generated is called 1 kg wt (1-kilogram weight)
force. It is the S.I. gravitational unit of force.
We know that the earth accelerates the mass with g = 9.8 ms-2
1 Kg wt = 9.8 N [1 kg × 9.8 ms 2 = 9.8 N]
C.G.S. gravitational unit is gf or g wt.
1 gf = 1g × 980 cms-2
= 980 dyne
4. Answer:
(a) Newton’s Third law of motion states that “to every action, there is always an
equal and opposite reaction.”’
So, if a body 1 applies a force F12 on body 2 (action), then body 2 also
applies a force F2] on body 1 but in opposite direction, then
F21 = – F12
In terms of magnitude
|F21| = |-F12|
It is very important to note that F12 and F21 though are equal in magnitude
and opposite in direction yet act on different points or else no motion will be
possible.
For example, hands pull up a chest expander (spring), and spring in turn
exerts a force on the arms. A football when pressed reacts on the foot with
the same force and so on. The most important consequence of the third law
of motion is the law of conservation of linear momentum and its application
in collision problems.

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Here Δt is the time for which the bodies come in contact during impact. This
is the same for the two bodies of masses m1 and m2 and having velocity
changes Δv1 and Δv2 respectively. Therefore,
m1 Δv1 = – m2 Δv2
or
m1 Δv1 + m2Δv2 = 0
Let u1, u2 and v1 and v2 be initial and final velocities of the two masses before
and after collision, then
m1(v1 – u1) = – m2(v2 – u2)
or
m1u1 + m2u2 = m1v1 + m2v2
Momentum before impact = momentum after impact
This is the law of conservation of momentum.
(b) ‘The linear momentum of an isolated system always remains the same
provided no external force is applied on it.’ This is the law of conservation of
linear momentum.
The linear momentum of a body = mass × velocity
p = mv
If a system has several bodies initially at rest then initial momentum = 0.
The final momentum = p1 + p2 + p3 + ……
According to law of conservation of linear momentum
p1 + p2 + p3 + … = 0
Linear momentum is a vector quantity and is measured. in kg ms-1or Ns.
For example, a gun and a bullet make a system in which both are initially at
rest. When the bullet of mass m is
fired with muzzle velocity v, the gun of mass M gets a recoil velocity V. Since
the initial linear momentum of the system is zero.
MV + mv = 0
or
MV = – mv
Thus, gun moves in the opposite direction to that of the bullet.

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(c) The total quantity of motion possessed by the body is called is momentum.
Mathematically, it is equal to the product of the mass of the body and the
velocity of the body.
In linear motion, this term is called linear momentum P.
It is a vector quantity.
p = mv
The units of linear momentum are kg ms-1 or NS in S.I. units.
Impulse: The action or impact of force is called the impulse of force.
Mathematically, impulse J is equal to the product of the force F acting on the
body and the time for which the force acts on it. Thus
J = F × t = Ft
J is a vector quantity and is measured in Ns or kg ms-1
The action of force or impulse is increased if the force acts for a smaller
interval.
Assertion Reason Answer:
1. (a) Assertion is correct, reason is correct; reason is a correct explanation for
assertion.
Explanation:
On a rainy day, the roads are wet. Wetting of roads lowers the coefficient of friction
between the types and the road. Therefore, grip on a road of car reduces and thus
chances of skidding increases.
2. (c) Assertion is correct, reason is incorrect+
Explanation:
Newton’s second law cannot be used for any object.
Case Study Answer:
1. i (d) 500 m/s
Explanation:
Conservation of linear momentum gives

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ii(c) 100m s-1

Explanation:

iii(d)0.2 m s-1
Explanation:
From the law of conservation of momentum, Initial momentum = Final momentum

iv (d) Zero
Explanation:
From 0 to T, area is positive and from T to 2T, area is negative, so net area is zero.
Hence, there is no change in momentum.
v (c) 1 : 2
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Explanation:
Two masses are moving with equal kinetic energy.

2. i (c) Frictional force

Explanation:
Frictional force acts between pulley and rope.
ii (d) 14 g
Explanation:
The reaction force is
R = T1 T2 = (8 + 6) g = 14 g
iii (d) Nothing can be said
Explanation:

So, the side having 8 kg mass will have more tension.

iv (a) 20 N
Explanation:

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Due to friction, tension at all points of the thread is not alike.

1
iv (b)
7
Explanation:

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