Force Calculator (Newton's 2nd Law)
Calculate Force, Mass, or Acceleration using F = ma.
Sir Isaac Newton's Second Law of Motion is arguably the most famous equation in mechanics: Force equals Mass times Acceleration (F=ma). It defines the concept of "Force" not just as a push or pull, but as the interaction that changes an object's motion. This calculator lets you solve for any of the three variables, crucial for engineering, ballistics, and understanding the physical world.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The Law of Acceleration
1. What is a Newton?
The standard unit of force is the Newton (N), named after Isaac Newton.
Definition: One Newton is the force needed to accelerate 1 kilogram of mass at the rate of 1 meter per second squared.
(1 N = 1 kg·m/s²)
To visualize: An average apple weighs about 1 Newton (due to gravity pulling it down).
2. Mass vs. Weight
This is a common point of confusion:
- Mass (kg): The amount of "stuff" in an object. It is the same on Earth, the Moon, or in deep space. It measures inertia (resistance to movement).
- Weight (N): The force of gravity acting on that mass.
Weight = Mass * g. You weigh less on the Moon because 'g' is lower, but your mass is unchanged.
3. Who was Isaac Newton?
Published in 1687, Newton's Principia Mathematica laid the groundwork for classical mechanics. His laws were so accurate that they were used to navigate spacecraft to the Moon 300 years later. Only at near-light speeds (Einstein's Relativity) or atomic scales (Quantum Mechanics) do Newton's laws break down.