Forces I: The Basics

Ms. Mikaela Irene Fudolig Physics 71

What is a force?
A force is a push or a pull. Force is a VECTOR.

Some Physics 71 Forces

Weight Tension Normal Force Friction

Weight
Earth exerts a force on any object Weight points towards the center of the Earth (DOWNWARDS) Mass vs. Weight

w mg w mg mgj

Exercise 1: Mass and Weight

A man weighs 50kg. What is his weight on Earth?

w mg w mg mgj

Weight

w=mg

Tension
Strings PULL on objects For each INDIVIDUAL string, there is a separate tension. A SINGLE massless and taut string has the SAME MAGNITUDE of the tension all throughout its length.

There is NO TENSION when there is NO STRING.

Tension

Tension

Normal Force
Force exerted by SURFACE on an object Points NORMAL to the surface.

There is NO NORMAL FORCE when there is NO SURFACE.

Normal Force
N

Normal Force
N

Normal Force: 2 or more objects

Exerted by one object on another.

Fby Y on B

Friction
Usually acts OPPOSITE the direction of motion Usually causes deceleration

Exercise 1: May the force be with you

What are the forces acting on the box in this picture?
N

w=mg

Exercise 2: May the force be with you

T

What are the forces acting on the box in this picture?

N

w=mg

Exercise 3: May the force be with you

What are the forces acting on the box in this picture?

N w=mg

What does a force do?

Newtons 1st Law of Motion
Every body continues in its state of rest, or of uniform motion in a straight line, unless it is compelled to change that state by forces impressed on it.

Newtons 2nd Law of Motion

F ma

What does a force do?

Newtons 1st Law of Motion Newtons 2nd Law of Motion

A body acted on by no NET force moves with constant velocity (which may be zero) and zero acceleration.

F ma

Inertia
The tendency of a body to remain at rest, or to keep moving in a straight line once it is set in motion, results from inertia.

Conceptual Exercise 5a
A box is initially sliding to the right at 1m/s, but after 5 seconds, it stops. What can you conclude about the direction of the net force in this system?

FRICTION

Conceptual Exercise 5b
A box is initially sliding to the right at a constant speed of 1m/s, but after 5 seconds, its speed suddenly keeps increasing. What can you conclude about the forces in this system?

Conceptual Exercise 6
A box is initially at rest. If you want to keep it moving to the left, what should you do?

Conceptual Exercise 7
If you do apply a force to the left, and you stop applying that force, will the box also stop moving immediately? Assume the surface is frictionless.

Conceptual Exercise 8
A box is initially at rest on a tabletop (x0=0). You push it to right for 5 seconds until it reaches a speed v0. After 5 seconds, you release the box.
Draw the v vs. t diagram. Draw the x vs. t diagram. Draw the a vs. t diagram.

Inertial Reference Frame

Reference Frame where Newtons 1st Law is valid. Reference frame moving at constant velocity. If A and B are both inertial reference frames,

aobject relative to A aobject relative to B

Conceptual Exercise 8
Which of the following are inertial reference frames?
Earth accelerating airplane train moving at constant velocity

Newtons 2nd Law

F ma
unit of force: Newtons (N) 1N=1kg-m/s2

Numerical Exercise 9
If you push a 2.5kg box with a force of 5N to the right
what is the acceleration (direction and magnitude) of the box?

Numerical Exercise 10
If you push a 5kg box with a force of 5N to the right
what is the acceleration (direction and magnitude) of the box?