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 represent in a free body diagram?

Back

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

Front

What are paired forces?

Back

Forces that act on two different objects and are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.

Front

What is the weight force?

Back

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

Front

What is frictional force?

Back

The 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 by forces acting from opposite ends.

Front

What is applied force?

Back

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

Front

What is spring force?

Back

The force exerted by a compressed or stretched spring, described by Hooke's Law (F = -kx).

Front

What is buoyant force?

Back

The upward force exerted by a fluid on an object immersed in it, equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.

Front

How do you calculate net force?

Back

Net force is the vector sum of all the forces acting on an object.