Forces and Free Body Diagrams

Front

What are contact forces?

Back

Forces that occur when two objects are in physical contact with each other, such as friction, tension, and normal force.

Front

What is the normal force?

Back

The force exerted by a surface to support the weight of an object resting on it, acting perpendicular to the surface.

Front

What does the length of an arrow in a free body diagram represent?

Back

The magnitude of the force.

Front

Define 'force'.

Back

An influence that can change the motion of an object; a push or pull acting upon an object due to its interactions with surroundings.

Front

What is friction?

Back

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

Front

What is the applied force?

Back

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

Front

What is tension force?

Back

The force transmitted through a string, rope, or cable when it is pulled tight by forces acting from opposite ends.

Front

What is gravitational force?

Back

The attractive force between two masses, such as the force that pulls objects toward the Earth.

Front

What is inertia?

Back

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.

Front

What is a free body diagram?

Back

A graphical representation used to visualize the forces acting on an object, showing all the forces as arrows pointing away from the object.