Free body diagrams

Front

What is a free body diagram?

Back

A graphical representation used to visualize the forces acting on an object.

Front

What does the normal force do?

Back

It acts perpendicular to the surface and supports the weight of an object resting on it.

Front

What is the direction of the gravitational force?

Back

The gravitational force always acts straight down towards the center of the Earth.

Front

What is friction?

Back

A force that opposes the relative motion of two surfaces in contact.

Front

What is tension force?

Back

The force transmitted through a string, rope, or cable when it is pulled tight.

Front

What is weight force?

Back

The force exerted by gravity on an object, calculated as mass times the acceleration due to gravity (W = mg).

Front

What is thrust?

Back

A force that propels an object forward, often produced by engines or propellers.

Front

How does the angle of a ramp affect the normal force?

Back

As the angle of the ramp increases, the normal force decreases because it is a component of the weight force.

Front

What happens to the frictional force when an object is in motion?

Back

The frictional force opposing the motion is called kinetic friction, which is usually less than static friction.

Front

What is static friction?

Back

The force that keeps an object at rest and prevents it from starting to move.