Newtons Laws of Motion worksheet - Free Printable

Here is the step-by-step solution to determine which of Newton's Laws applies to each scenario.

Newton's Laws Quick Guide:
* 1st Law (Inertia): Objects keep doing what they are doing (staying still or moving) unless a force stops or starts them. Look for things continuing to move, stopping suddenly, or staying in place.
* 2nd Law (Force = Mass x Acceleration): This is about how hard you push and how heavy something is. Look for comparisons of weight (mass), speed changes (acceleration), or how much force is needed.
* 3rd Law (Action/Reaction): For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Look for pairs of forces pushing against each other (like walking, rockets, or recoil).

Step-by-Step Analysis:

1. Coin on paper: The coin stays in place because it wants to stay at rest (inertia). -> 1
2. Farmer adding a horse: He needs more force to move the mass of the cart. More force creates motion. -> 2
3. Truck with less mass/big acceleration: This compares mass and acceleration directly. -> 2
4. Daddy hitting golf ball harder: More force results in the ball going farther (acceleration). -> 2
5. Basketball arc (gravity/friction): External forces (gravity/friction) change the ball's path from a straight line. -> 1
6. Pedaling bicycle harder: More force makes the bike go faster (accelerate). -> 2
7. Book on table (downward/upward force): The book pushes down, table pushes up. Action and reaction. -> 3
8. Large snowball harder to move: Heavy mass requires more force to accelerate. -> 2
9. Ball rolls until friction stops it: It keeps moving until an outside force (friction) stops it. -> 1
10. Pushing small vs. big table: Same force on different masses causes different accelerations. -> 2
11. Car slams brakes, passengers thrown forward: Passengers keep moving forward because of inertia. -> 1
12. Walker hits ball with more force: More force equals more distance (acceleration). -> 2
13. Runner takes yards to stop: The runner's body wants to keep moving (inertia). -> 1
14. Balloon air rushes out, balloon moves forward: Air pushes back, balloon goes forward. Action/reaction. -> 3
15. Walking on sand (push sand backward): You push sand back, sand pushes you forward. Action/reaction. -> 3
16. Bowling pins fall when hit: An outside force (the ball) changed the pins' state from resting to moving. -> 1
17. Rider thrown forward when horse stops: Rider keeps moving due to inertia. -> 1
18. Extra force to move big bag: Heavy mass needs more force to accelerate. -> 2
19. 50 lb rock harder to move than 5 lb rock: Comparing mass and the force needed to move it. -> 2
20. Biker thrown over handlebars: Biker keeps moving forward due to inertia when the bike stops. -> 1

Final Answer:
1
2
2
2
1
2
3
2
1
2
1
2
1
3
3
1
1
2
2
1