Home

Tutoring

Subjects

Live Classes

Study Coach

Essay Review

On-Demand Courses

Colleges

Games

Opening subject page...

Loading your content

MCAT Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems

Forces and Newton's Laws

Learn Forces and Newton's Laws in MCAT Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems from the production AIPH study guide.

Study guide topics

Kinematics and MotionForces and Newton's LawsWork, Energy, and PowerThermodynamics and HeatElectricity and MagnetismFluids and PressureWaves, Sound, and LightAtomic and Nuclear PhysicsMedical Imaging and DiagnosticsBiomechanics and Human MovementEnergy Use and Everyday TechnologyMastering MCAT Physics QuestionsTime Management and Guessing Smart

Basic Concepts

In a nutshell: Forces cause changes in motion, explained by Newton's three laws.

## The Rules Behind Motion Once you know how things move, it's time to ask *why*. Newton's Laws explain what causes motion—forces! ### Newton's Three Laws 1. **Inertia**: Objects keep doing what they're doing unless something (a force) changes that. 2. **F=ma**: The net force on an object equals its mass times its acceleration. 3. **Action-Reaction**: For every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. ### Types of Forces - Gravity pulls you down. - Friction slows you down. - Tension, normal force, and others support, stretch, or compress. ### Everyday Physics These laws explain why seatbelts are crucial (inertia!), why you push harder to move a heavier box (F=ma), and why jumping off a boat pushes the boat back.

F = ma

Examples

  • A skateboarder pushes off the ground and accelerates forward.
  • A book resting on a table experiences gravity and a normal force.

Key terms

Force
A push or pull that changes an object's motion.
Friction
A force that resists motion between two surfaces.
PreviousNext