Calculating Net Force

Front

What is net force?

Back

Net force is the total force acting on an object when all the individual forces are combined. It determines the object's motion.

Front

How do you calculate net force when forces are in the same direction?

Back

To calculate net force when forces are in the same direction, you add the magnitudes of the forces together.

Front

How do you calculate net force when forces are in opposite directions?

Back

To calculate net force when forces are in opposite directions, you subtract the smaller force from the larger force.

Front

What is the unit of force?

Back

The unit of force is the Newton (N).

Front

What happens to an object if the net force acting on it is zero?

Back

If the net force acting on an object is zero, the object will remain at rest or continue to move at a constant velocity.

Front

What is an example of balanced forces?

Back

An example of balanced forces is a book resting on a table, where the force of gravity pulling it down is balanced by the normal force from the table pushing it up.

Front

What is an example of unbalanced forces?

Back

An example of unbalanced forces is when a person pushes a shopping cart, causing it to accelerate in the direction of the push.

Front

What is inertia?

Back

Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion. It is directly related to the mass of the object.

Front

How does mass affect net force?

Back

The greater the mass of an object, the greater the net force needed to change its motion, according to Newton's second law (F=ma).

Front

What is Newton's second law of motion?

Back

Newton's second law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass (F=ma).