Unit 3: Applications of Newton's Laws

     Now that you have been introduced to Newton's three laws of motion, it's time to see how powerful they are. The type of force analysis you will perform in this unit is a foundational part of physics.  It allows students to analyze pulley systems and other basic machines, but also allows professional engineers to build skyscapers, bridges, and rocket ships.  One of the biggest of the "Big Ideas", ΣF = ma, awaits your use in a multitude of applications.

Suggested timeframe: 4 weeks

Big Ideas:
•Physical systems (that may have internal structure) and objects (that do not have internal structure) can be characterized by certain properties.
•Interactions (between objects in systems or between systems themselves) can be explained using an idea called a field.
•The concept of force can be used to describe the interactions between objects in systems or between systems themselves.
•Systems can change due to interactions with other systems.