• Question: what does the formula f=ma mean?

    Asked by mojems (imogen) to Rob, Josh, Chris on 16 Jun 2015.
    • Photo: Josh Meyers

      Josh Meyers answered on 16 Jun 2015:

      F=ma is Isaac Newton’s second law of motion and stands for:
      Force = mass x acceleration
      The units are (Newtons) = (kilograms x meters per second^2)

      This is a fundamental law of classical mechanics and allows us to calculate the force acting on an object if we know its mass and the rate at which its velocity is changing.

      So a book of 3kg falling towards the earth (gravitational acceleration is 9.81 m/s^2)
      Therefore the downward force acting on the book is 3 x 9.81 = 29.43 Newtons

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