Each law has the same format when written using this approach, so students begin to see similar terms and physical concepts.
When solving problems, students are encouraged to write the pertinent basic law and then develop a problem-specific model. Thus, students repeatedly see connections back to the basic laws by developing a model instead of memorizing special cases.
For example, consider how the linear momentum equation could be applied to different problems:
- For a projectile (a closed system), the terms drop out, and Newton's second law is recovered as,
- For a closed system of two cars colliding at an intersection with negligible friction forces, and the terms drop out; thus,
- For a fluid flowing steadily through a pipe elbow (an open system); thus, the surface forces, the system weight, and the mass transport of momentum are related by the equation.
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