How do 'newtons' (the unit) work?

Question

I know what they are, but I can't seem to understand how to use them or measure them. Could you provide an explanation?

Answer 1

1 Newton is the gravitational force exerted on a body of mass 1 kg by the earth.

Thus in order to hold a body of mass 1 kg you will have to provide a force of 1 N

The weight of an object you measure on aspring balance gives you the weight of the body in Newtons
Whereas you measure the mass of the body in a beam balance.

When you are doing any kinematics or dynamics problem you often encounter the weight of a body as "m*g"......that is in Newtons.

Answer 2

OK, first...Newton is just a defined unit of measure for something we call force, which is yet another defined term. The standard metric units for force can be found from F = Ma, which is a well-known and oft-used equation for force.

In the kg-m-sec standard metric units Ma = kg m/sec^2; where kg (kilogram) is the mass standard unit, m (meter) is the standard length unit, and sec (second) is the standard time unit. Then, by definition, a Newton = kg m/sec^2.

And that's just by definition. If I were a highly regarded and influential physicist who decided to call kg m/sec^2 = Potato Heads, then, falling in lockstep with my powerful thoughts, the rest of the physicists would start calling kg m/sec^2 = Potato Heads. As it is, they opted to call the force unit Newton after Isaac who came up with the F = Ma idea.

Now where does a Newton (or Potato Head) fall into the grand scheme of things re work? Well, work = W = Fd = force times distance; where force is measured in Newtons (kg m/sec^2). Naturally if force is in Newtons and d is in meters, work is in Newton-meters (N-m). And that's all there is.

Bottom line you use Newtons as a measure of force...they are not the force, they are simply the units of measure. When we say 60 mph, the mph is not the speed, it is simply the unit we measure speed by. 60 is the speed or value associated with the unit.

As a force, weight can be given in Newtons. Thus W = Mg = |N| kg m/sec^2 = |N| Newtons; where |N| is the value of the weight. In the English units, force (like weight) can be given in pounds.

Answer 3

The Newton is the force exerted by an object with mass of one kg under gravity. In other words a mass of 1 kg will exert a force of 1 x 9.81 Newtons

Answer 4

A newton is the amount of force required to accelerate a mass of one kilogram at a rate of one meter per second squared.

1 N = 1 Kg x m/s^2

The formular for newton is F(force) =M(mass) x A(acceleration)

For instance, if a car with 3000Kg crash into a wall at a speed of 5 m/s^2 then the Force (in newton) is 15000N.

Answer 5

Newtons are *not* just about the effects of gravity on masses, as in weight.

The Newton is a unit of force and is applicable in any situation where a mass is subject to acceleration, whether by gravity or in a moving automobile or on a billiards table.

The measurement follows directly from the definition:
mass * acceleration in kilograms and meters-per-second-squared.

If you know the mass, and you know the acceleration, then the calculation is simple.

Answer 6

F = ma

If m = 1kg and a= 1m/s^2 then the force is 1 newton.

The force which a body of mass m is pulled by earth is mg where g is the acceleration due to gravity =9.8m/s^2.

Taking g ~ 10m/s^2, one kilogram weighs ~ 10 newton
A 100 gm object will be pulled by earth with a force of 1 newton.

Answer 7

Newton(N), is a unit for the weight. Weight is different from mass as it is the gravitational force on the object. For example, for 1kg of an object, it is equivalent to 10N(on earth only, as the gravitational force is on different place, the gravitational force on moon is 10/6)

Answer 8

I newton is the force which when applied on a mass of 1kg accelerates it by 1m/sec^2.1 kg mass is attracted by gravity and the force 1kg*9.81m/sec^2=9.81Newtons.You can measure the force of gravity on a spring balance. Work done is force*distance that is Newton Meters or Joules.

Answer 9

1N = 1kg
It is use to measure in weight