Newton (N) – The Unit of Force — Passage
In science, force is a push or pull on an object. The unit used to measure force is the newton (N). This unit is named after Sir Isaac Newton, a famous scientist who developed the laws of motion, which explain how forces affect the motion of objects.
One newton is the amount of force needed to make a 1-kilogram object accelerate at 1 meter per second squared. That may sound complex, but it means that if you push something with a force of 1 newton, it will start to move—if it’s not too heavy or stuck.
Newtons help scientists and engineers describe exactly how much force is acting on an object. For example, when you lift a basketball, you are applying a force of about 5 newtons against gravity. Pushing a heavy box might take 100 newtons or more. If you know the force and the mass of an object, you can figure out how it will move using the equation:
Force = Mass × Acceleration
The newton is an important part of understanding motion, energy, and work. It helps us measure how strong a push or pull is, whether it’s from gravity, a motor, or even a person.
Fun Fact: An average apple weighs about 1 newton! That means Earth pulls it toward the ground with a force of one newton due to gravity.
What does a newton measure?
SpeedWeightForceEnergyWho is the unit "newton" named after?
Albert EinsteinJames JouleIsaac NewtonGalileo GalileiWhat is the formula for force?
Mass + AccelerationMass ÷ DistanceForce = Mass × AccelerationEnergy × TimeHow much force is needed to move a 1-kg object at 1 m/s²?
10 newtons1 newtons100 newtons1 newtonWhy are newtons useful in science?
They measure heatThey describe pushes or pullsThey measure brightnessThey measure soundHow many newtons does it take to lift an average apple?
51011What is the main idea of the passage?
Newtons measure motion and speedNewtons measure force and help explain motionNewtons are used in cookingNewtons are used for energyA student pushes a cart with 50 newtons of force. What can we say about the motion?
It moves in circlesIt will not moveIt accelerates if not too heavyIt gains massRelated Content
