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

The normal force acts perpendicular to the surface and supports the weight of an object resting on that surface.

Front

What is the weight force?

Back

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

Front

What is the frictional force?

Back

The force that opposes the motion of an object in contact with a surface.

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 the spring force?

Back

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

Front

How does the normal force relate to weight?

Back

The normal force balances the weight of an object when it is at rest on a horizontal surface.

Front

What happens to the normal force on an inclined plane?

Back

The normal force is less than the weight of the object and acts perpendicular to the surface of the incline.

Front

What is the role of free body diagrams in problem-solving?

Back

They help identify all the forces acting on an object, making it easier to apply Newton's laws of motion.

Front

What is the difference between static and kinetic friction?

Back

Static friction prevents motion between two surfaces, while kinetic friction acts on moving surfaces.