Force and Free Body diagrams

Front

What is a Free Body Diagram?

Back

A Free Body Diagram (FBD) is a graphical representation used to visualize the forces acting on an object. It shows the object as a dot and the forces as arrows pointing away from the object, indicating the direction and magnitude of each force.

Front

What is Normal Force?

Back

Normal force (Fn) is the force exerted by a surface to support the weight of an object resting on it. It acts perpendicular to the surface.

Front

What is the difference between mass and weight?

Back

Mass is the amount of matter in an object, measured in kilograms (kg), while weight is the force exerted by gravity on that mass, measured in Newtons (N). Weight = mass x gravitational acceleration (W = mg).

Front

What are Newton's Three Laws of Motion?

Back

1. An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by a net external force. 2. The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass (F = ma). 3. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Front

What is Net Force?

Back

Net force is the vector sum of all the forces acting on an object. It determines the object's acceleration according to Newton's second law.

Front

What is Friction Force?

Back

Friction force (Ff) is the force that opposes the relative motion of two surfaces in contact. It acts parallel to the surfaces.

Front

What does it mean for forces to be balanced?

Back

Forces are balanced when the net force acting on an object is zero, resulting in no change in motion.

Front

What does it mean for forces to be unbalanced?

Back

Forces are unbalanced when the net force acting on an object is not zero, resulting in a change in motion (acceleration).

Front

What is the unit of force?

Back

The unit of force is the Newton (N), which is defined as the force required to accelerate a 1 kg mass by 1 m/s².

Front

What is the role of gravity in free body diagrams?

Back

Gravity is a force that acts downward on an object in a free body diagram, typically represented as an arrow pointing downwards, labeled with the weight of the object.