Question

Why is Newton’s second law pivotal in science and engineering? Describe examples to support your answer.

Answer 1

Newtons"s Second Law:- The acceleration of a particle as measured from an inertial frame is given by the vector sum of all the forces acting on the partilce divided by it's mass.

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This law governs the behavior of everything that is seen and unseen on Earth and in the cosmos -- from the trajectory of a baseball to the motion of a planet.

Newton's second law is significant because it is one of the first few equations which were successfully able to represent physical realities as measurable mathematical quantities. This equation actually is genesis of the idea that motion of natural bodies is quantifiable and can be predicted by a mathematical equation.
Surely this law has helped humanity achieve great feats. It has taken us to the moon and robots made by us to the edges of solar system, but the true essence lies in the fact that it is one of the few initial laws which led to the modern science.

Some Examples:-

• Build and navigate spaceships (Newton’s laws got us to the moon!)
• Simulate car crashes
• Measure the mass of the Earth and other solar system bodies
• Explain how airplanes generate lift
• Improve your athletic abilities

Nearly everything you experience in daily life that involves motion can be explained by Newton’s laws in very accurate ways, and nearly everything you use in daily life was designed with Newton’s laws in mind.