Forces & Free Body Diagrams

Front

What is gravity?

Back

Gravity is a force that attracts two bodies towards each other, commonly experienced as the force that pulls objects towards the Earth.

Front

What is tension in physics?

Back

Tension is the force exerted by a rope, string, or chain when it is pulled tight by forces acting from opposite ends.

Front

What is friction?

Back

Friction is a force that opposes the motion of an object, acting parallel to the surfaces in contact.

Front

What is a free-body diagram?

Back

A free-body diagram is a graphical representation used to visualize the forces acting on an object.

Front

What does it mean for forces to be balanced?

Back

Balanced forces occur when two or more forces acting on an object are equal in size and opposite in direction, resulting in no change in motion.

Front

What does it mean for forces to be unbalanced?

Back

Unbalanced forces occur when the total force acting on an object is not zero, causing the object to accelerate in the direction of the net force.

Front

What is inertia?

Back

Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion; an object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an external force.

Front

What is applied force?

Back

An applied force is a force that is applied to an object by a person or another object.

Front

What is normal force?

Back

Normal force is the support force exerted upon an object that is in contact with a surface, acting perpendicular to the surface.

Front

What is the relationship between mass and weight?

Back

Weight is the force of gravity acting on an object's mass; it can be calculated using the formula: Weight = mass × gravity.