Newton’s Law Project: Dance Edition

Caroline Gormely

Newton’s Laws• Newton’s first law states that the objects tend to continue the motion they already

have unless they are acted on by forces.

• Newton’s second law relates the net force on an object, the mass of the object and acceleration.

• Newton’s third law states that every action force creates a reaction force that is equal in strength and opposite direction.

Newton’s first law• Newton’s first law states an object at rest stays at rest, an object in motion stays in motion

unless acted on by a force. A force is a push or pull, or any action that has the ability to change motion. Forces can be created in many different ways. Forces create change in motion and there can be no change in motion without the presence of a force.

• When you are dancing and do a turn you will continue to turn until you lose the friction with the floor. You are pushing down on the floor with one leg and turning and you are spotting so you can make rotations. You can keep turning until the friction is lost and you stop.

Amy is getting ready to turn so she is on top of her foot to get friction.

In this leg turn they are getting friction to turn my swinging their leg up and holding it. This gets them wind to turn.

Newton’s second law• Newton’s second law says the net force, acceleration and mass of an object is all

related. It states that the stronger the net force on an object, the greater the acceleration. If twice the net force is applied, the acceleration will be twice as great. Acceleration is directly proportional to the net force applied.

• If you are getting ready to do a jump you need to run. The faster you run the higher in the air you will go. You need to bend down, run fast and then jump from that position. It is similar to if you are sling shotting a rubber band. You have to pull it back then let5 it go from that pulled back position.

The lower you bend the higher you get and the higher you can get your legs.

Here she did not get as much power so her legs are not as high.

Newton’s third law• Newton’s third law says that every action force creates a reaction force that is equal in

strength and opposite direction. For every action force, there is a reaction force equal in strength and opposite in direction. Forces only come in action-reaction pairs. There can never be a single force alone without its action reaction partner.

• When you are dancing and you lift up your leg, you are using Newton’s third law. Your leg lifts because of force being acted on it. Your hand is the action force, it is pushing. Your leg is the reaction force, it pushes out then lowers down.

You lift your leg with your arm so now your leg is up and you are holding it with muscle.

Here your hand is the action force and your leg is the reaction force.

Bibliography

• http://teachertech.rice.edu/Participants/louviere/Newton/law1.html

• Physics: A First Course

• http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Physics-Tutorial/Newton-s-Laws