Find the force needed to accelerate 10kg at 5 m/s².

You can work it out this way: use Newton's Second Law directly.

At what friction coefficient does the object stop accelerating?

When friction force equals applied force.

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Newton's Laws of Motion

Explore force, mass, and acceleration

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How it works

Newton's three laws of motion form the foundation of classical mechanics. The first law (inertia) states that an object at rest stays at rest unless acted upon by a force. The second law relates force, mass, and acceleration. The third law states that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

Step-by-step

Adjust the mass and force sliders to see how acceleration changes.
Enable friction to observe real-world behavior.
Watch the data panel for real-time values.

Key formulas

$F = ma$ Newton's Second Law
$a = \frac{F_{net}}{m}$ Acceleration
$F_{friction} = \mu \cdot m \cdot g$ Friction force

Frequently asked questions

Find the force needed to accelerate 10kg at 5 m/s².: You can work it out this way: use Newton's Second Law directly.
At what friction coefficient does the object stop accelerating?: When friction force equals applied force.