Physics

Forces
 Table of contents
1. Videos
2. Forces
3. Contact forces
4. Non-contact forces
5. Newton’s Laws of motion
6. Weight and Acceleration due to gravity
7. Friction
 Videos
Contact and non-contact forces
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCPTKRaScgE

Friction and weight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsvvLKYjQnA

Newton’s Laws of motion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5PtaCJJFjw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpQ_ikFKru0
 Forces
What is force (F)?

A force is a push or a pull of an object.

A force can cause a change in size, shape or motion of an object.

When a force is applied to an object the object may or may

not move. If the object moves it means that the force applied
is great enough to overcome any resisting forces acting on
the object.

The standard unit of force is the Newton (N).

Forces are usually represented by arrows which indicate their direction and
magnitudes.
 Forces
There are two main categories of forces

Contact forces
Contact forces act between two objects that are
physically touching.

Examples: Tension, Friction, air resistance, thrust, normal

reaction.

Non-contact forces
Non-contact forces are forces that act between two objects that are
Not physically touching each other.

Examples: Magnetic force, electrostatic force, gravitational

force.
 Contact Forces
Tension
An object that is being stretched experiences
a tension force. For example, a cable holding a
ceiling lamp.
 Contact Forces
Friction
Two objects sliding past each other
experience friction forces. For example, a box
sliding down a slope.
 Contact Forces
Air Resistance
An object moving through the air
experiences air resistance. For example, a
skydiver falling through the air.
 Contact Forces
Upthrust
Upthrust is an upwards force that acts on an
object when it is in a fluid (a liquid or gas).
 Contact Forces
Normal Reaction Force
When an object pushes on a surface like a table,
wall or the ground, the surface pushes back on
the object with a balancing force.
 Non-contact Forces

Magnetic force
Magnetic force is experienced by a magnet or a
magnetic material, eg iron, when placed in a
magnetic field. This force can pull the two
objects together or push them apart.
 Non-contact Forces

Electrostatic Force
Electrostatic force is experienced by a charged
particle in an electric field. This force can be
either attractive or repulsive.
 Non-contact Forces

Gravitational force
Gravitational force is experienced by a mass
when it is sufficiently close to another mass.
Gravity always pulls two objects towards each
other. It never pushes them apart.
 Newton’s Law’s of motion
Inertia is a property which makes an object at rest
(stationary) remain at rest or a moving object to keep moving at a constant
rate.

Recall that an external (resultant or net) force is a force that acts outside of
the object (system) being considered. When forces acting on an object do not
cancel out each other, we say a ‘net force’ is acting on that object. In other
words the net force is a single force which represents the
combined effort of the force on the object being considered.
 Newton’s Laws of Motion

Newton’s First Law

According to Newton's first law of motion, an
object remains in the same state of motion
unless a resultant force acts on it. If the
resultant force on an object is zero, this means:
•a stationary object stays stationary
•a moving object continues to move at the
same velocity (at the same speed and in the
same direction)
 Newton’s Laws of Motion

Newton’s First Law

 Newton’s Laws of Motion
Newton’s Second Law
What is Newton’s Second Law?
When a net force acts on an object, the acceleration of
the object is directly proportional to the force and
inversely proportional to the mass of the object.

The formula:
Force (F) = mass (m) x acceleration (a)

F=mxa
 Newton’s Laws of motion
Problem Solving

If a 6 kg cart is being pulled by a force of 10 N. What is the

acceleration of the cart?

Solution:
We have to first look at what we have to know what
formula to use.
m = 6 kg
F = 10 N
a=?
 Newton’s Laws of motion
The best formula to use it F = m x a and
change around the formula to get a = F / m

a = 10 N / 6 kg
= 1.67 m/s2
 Newton’s Laws of motion
Problem Solving

What forces is needed to give an object of mass 4 kg an

acceleration of 6 m/s2?
Solution:
m = 4 kg
a = 6 m/s2
F = ?

since F = m x a
F = 4 kg x 6 m/s2
= 24 N
 Newton’s Laws of motion
Problem Solving
What is the mass of an object which accelerated at the rate
of 5 m/s2 by a 120 N force?
m=?
a = 5 m/s2
F = 120 N

since F = m x a and we want m, we change the subject of

the formula to get m = F / a

m = 120 N / 5 m/s2
= 24 kg
 Newton’s Laws of Motion

Newton’s Third Law

“Every action has an equal and opposite reaction”

When two forces interact they exert equal and

opposite forces on each other. The two forces are
both contact forces and they are of the same
Type.
 Newton’s Laws of Motion

Applications of Newton’s Third Law

 Weight (W) & Gravitational Field
Strength (g)
The earth is surrounded by a gravitational field,
any object that is placed in that field
experiences a force. Gravity acts through space
and causes objects not in contact with the earth
to fall to the ground.

The gravitational field strength (g) is defined as

the force acting on unit mass in the gravitational
field.
 Weight (W) & Gravitational Field
Strength (g)
Weight is the force that acts on mass due to
gravity and is therefore measured in newtons
(N).
 Weight (W) & Gravitational Field
Strength (g)
For a given gravitational field strength, g, the
weight, W, and mass, m, have a directly
proportional relationship meaning that the greater
the mass of an object, the greater its weight.

W = mg g = W/m m = W/g

Units of weight is Newtons (N)

g = 10 N/kg [and more accurately 9.8 N/kg]

 Weight (W) & Gravitational Field
Strength (g)
On the earth’s surface a mass of 1 kg experiences a force of 10
N (weight of 10 N) within the gravitational field, therefore the
strength of the earth’s gravitational field strength is

m = 1 kg
W = 10 N
g=?

g=W/m
g = 10 N ÷ 1 kg
g = 10 N/kg
 Weight (W) & Gravitational Field
Strength (g)
On the earth’s surface a mass of 1 kg experiences a force of 10
N (weight of 10 N) within the gravitational field, therefore the
strength of the earth’s gravitational field strength is

m = 1 kg
W = 10 N
g=?

g=W/m
g = 10 N ÷ 1 kg
g = 10 N/kg
 Acceleration due to gravity (g)
Recall:

F= ma
→ a = F / m with units for acceleration ms-2

In the case of an object falling freely to earth, the force, F

of an object falling to earth is its weight, W.

The acceleration of an object falling freely is the

acceleration due to gravity, g.
 Acceleration due to gravity (g)
All objects have mass, m.

Substituting g for a and W for F we get:

a=F/m
g = W/m

Since acceleration, a, of an object falling freely is the

acceleration due to gravity, g, then it gives an explanation for
why the units of g is also ms-2
 Acceleration due to gravity (g)
Now we think of two ways in which g can be used.

When a body of known mass is at rest and we want to know the

gravitational force acting on it [what we consider to be the object’s
weight, W] we think of g as the earth’s gravitational field strength of
10 N/kg.

When a body is falling freely to the earth we regard it as having an

acceleration due to gravity of 10 ms-2.
 Friction

Friction is a force between two surfaces that are

sliding, or trying to slide, across each other. For
example, when you try to push a book along the
floor, friction makes this difficult.

Friction always works in the

direction opposite to the direction in which the
object is moving, or trying to move. Friction
always slows a moving object down.
 Friction
The amount of friction depends on the materials
from which the two surfaces are made. The
rougher the surface, the more friction is
produced. Friction also produces heat. If you rub
your hands together quickly, you will feel them
get warmer.
 Friction
Friction can be a useful force because it prevents
our shoes slipping on the pavement when we
walk and stops car tyres skidding on the road.
When you walk, friction is caused between the
tread on shoes and the ground. This friction acts
to grip the ground and prevent sliding.
 Friction
Friction can be a useful force because it prevents
our shoes slipping on the pavement when we
walk and stops car tyres skidding on the road.
When you walk, friction is caused between the
tread on shoes and the ground. This friction acts
to grip the ground and prevent sliding.