Final answer:
Newton's second law relates the net forces acting on an object to its motion. Drawing a free body diagram helps visualize the forces acting on an object and solve problems involving Newton's laws of motion.
Step-by-step explanation:
Newton's second law and constant velocity: According to Newton's second law, if an object is moving at a constant velocity, then the net force acting on the object must be zero. This means that the sum of all the forces acting on the object must be balanced, resulting in no acceleration.
Newton's second law and acceleration: If an object is accelerating, then there must be a net force acting on it. The acceleration of the object is directly proportional to the net force and inversely proportional to its mass, as described by the equation F = ma.
Customary rules for drawing a free body diagram: To draw a free body diagram, you represent the object of interest with a dot and show all the external forces acting on it with vectors extending in different directions from the dot. The vectors are labeled with their magnitudes and directions.
Value of drawing a free body diagram: Drawing a free body diagram helps visualize the forces acting on an object, making it easier to analyze and solve problems involving Newton's laws of motion.
Newton's third law and free body diagrams: When two objects are in contact with each other, Newton's third law states that the forces they exert on each other are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. When drawing free body diagrams of the two objects, the forces they exert on each other should be evident.