Forces and Motion

Scalar and Vectors

 Scalar: has a magnitude (size) only

 Vector: has magnitude and direction

Average Speed

 Speed is the rate of change of distance

 Average speed, v = distance moved, s
time taken, t
 Speed is measured in m/s or m s−1
 Example: A car drives around a roundabout at 30km/h
Explain whether the speed and the velocity are changing.
Answer: The velocity is changing because the direction is changing whereas the speed
stays the same because the car is travelling at a constant speed.
 Displacement: distance travelled in a particular direction
 Average velocity = increase in displacement
time taken

Acceleration

 Acceleration is a change in velocity

 Formula 1:
Acceleration, a = change in velocity or final velocity, v – initial velocity, u
time taken time taken
(N.B. ‘u’ comes before ‘v’!)
 m s 2 is the unit for velocity
 Formula 2:
v 2−u2=2 a s
Where s = displacement
 Formula 3:
a = 2s
t

Velocity Time Graphs

 Time goes on the x-axis and velocity

(m/s/s or m s 2) goes on the y-axis
 The gradient gives you the acceleration
 Area under a velocity-time graph gives
the distance travelled (take into
account the shape i.e. a triangle =
0.5xbxh)
 Deceleration is a negative acceleration
thus; the answer has to be negative
 Velocities in the opposite direction are
subtracted
Stopping Distances

 These will affect stopping distance:

Thinking Braking Both

Drug alcohol Road conditions Speed
Distractions Brake conditions
Reaction time Weight of car
Tyre condition
Amount/weight of passengers

 The braking distance is how far the car travels while the brakes are engaged
 The thinking distance is how far the car travels before you press the brake

Forces and Motion

Types of Forces

 Normal Reaction Force: ground pushing away

 Buoyancy (or upthrust): fluid pushing upwards (air or water)
 Weight: pull of gravity downwards
 Thrust: accelerating force upwards
 Friction: resistance to moving along a surface
 Tension: pull of a rope, string, or chain

Diagrams

 Arrows represent the strength of the forces

 Arrows start from the object
 Length of the arrow tells you the strength of the force
 Must associate forces with a single object

Balanced and Unbalanced Forces

 When multiple forces act on an object, we draw and label them all
 When the forces cancel each other out, they are said to be balanced
 Balanced objects do not accelerate, though they can still be moving
o Newton’s 1st Law
 When there is no unbalanced force on an object, it will not accelerate
 When one force is stronger than another, the forces are said to be balanced
 An unbalanced object will accelerate or decelerate in the direction of the unbalanced force
o Newton’s 2nd Law
 Σ F=m× a
  = sum of balanced forces
 Unbalanced force = mass x acceleration
Weight

 Weight and mass are different

 Weight is the force of gravity on an object
 Mass is the amount of matter in an object
 weight = mass x gravitational pull
w = m x g
(N) = (Kg) x (N/Kg)
 g on Earth = 10N/Kg

[INSERT FORCES ON A SKYDIVER]

Momentum

 Momentum: the ability of an object to resist a change in velocity

 p = mv
momentum = mass x velocity
Kgms-1 = Kg x ms-1
 An object with a larger mass will have a larger momentum
 Momentum needs direction because it is a vector
 Momentum in collisions:
p before = p after
Sum of momentum before collision = sum of momentum after collision
Momentum in Explosions

 p before = p after
 p before = 0
 Therefore, p after = 0
 After an Explosion:
 Forces of Momentum
o F = m (v-u)
t
Or… F = p
t

Hooke’s Law

 Hooke’s Law: the extension is proportional to the force

 F = kx
Force (N) = Spring constant (N/cm) x extension (cm) [Also called stretch]
Moments

 Moments: the turning effect of a force

 The greater the force or distance, the grater the moment
 m=fxd
moment = force x distance
N/m = N x m