Re: Newton's second law

[Bob LaMontagne <rlamont@POSTOFFICE.PROVIDENCE.EDU>]

Justin - Some have already mentioned a rocket as a good application of
the v dm/dt term. Another good example is a chain falling vertically
onto a table. The mass of chain on the table increases at a rate dm/dt
and the chain has a speed v just before hitting the table. This gives a
force on the table which is the weight of the chain already there plus
the v*dm/dt term. In certain problems this term is very useful.

Bob at PC


Justin Parke wrote:
> Newton' second law:
>
> F = dp/dt= mdv/dt + vdm/dt
>
> In the third term, what is v?
>
> Justin Parke
> Oakland Mills High School
> Columbia, MD