Question

Use all three of Newton's laws of motion to

describe what happens when a car starts
off at rest, is pushed across a platform, and
then accelerates downward.

Answer 1

Initially the car is at rest (.Newton’s 1st Law says the car will remain at rest unless an unbalanced force acts). When pushed, the contact force on the car is equal to an equal force on the person pushing it (Newton’s 3rd Law). If the forces on the car are unbalanced it will accelerate downward (Newton’s 2nd law= the force is equal to the rate of change of momentum of the car)