Net Force

Front

What is net force?

Back

The net force is the overall force acting on an object when all the individual forces are combined. It determines the object's acceleration.

Front

How do you calculate net force?

Back

Net force is calculated by adding all the forces acting on an object, taking into account their direction. If forces are in opposite directions, subtract the smaller force from the larger one.

Front

What is a balanced force?

Back

Balanced forces are equal in size and opposite in direction, resulting in no change in motion. An example is an asteroid moving at a constant speed through space.

Front

What is an unbalanced force?

Back

Unbalanced forces are not equal and can cause an object to accelerate. For example, a car accelerating from a stop sign experiences unbalanced forces.

Front

If two forces of 30 N and 20 N act in the same direction, what is the net force?

Back

The net force is 50 N in the direction of the forces.

Front

If a 10 N force acts to the right and a 5 N force acts to the left, what is the net force?

Back

The net force is 5 N to the right.

Front

What happens to an object when the net force is zero?

Back

When the net force is zero, the object remains at rest or continues to move at a constant velocity.

Front

What is the effect of net force on motion?

Back

Net force determines the acceleration of an object according to Newton's second law (F=ma). A greater net force results in greater acceleration.

Front

What is the difference between mass and weight?

Back

Mass is the amount of matter in an object, while weight is the force of gravity acting on that mass. Weight is calculated as mass times the acceleration due to gravity (W=mg).

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 a net force.