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 acting in the same direction?

Back

Add the magnitudes of the forces together. For example, if two forces of 35 N and 25 N are acting to the right, the net force is 60 N to the right.

Front

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

Back

Subtract the smaller force from the larger force. The direction of the net force is in the direction of the larger force.

Front

What is an unbalanced force?

Back

An unbalanced force occurs when the total forces acting on an object are not equal, causing the object to accelerate or change its motion.

Front

What is a balanced force?

Back

Balanced forces occur when two or more forces acting on an object are equal in size and opposite in direction, resulting in no change in motion.

Front

Example of unbalanced force: A baseball that has been thrown to home plate. What does this illustrate?

Back

This illustrates that the forces acting on the baseball are not equal, causing it to move.

Front

Example of balanced force: An asteroid moving at a constant speed through space. What does this illustrate?

Back

This illustrates that the forces acting on the asteroid are equal, resulting in no change in its motion.

Front

In a tug of war, if one team pulls with 200 N and the other with 150 N, what is the net force?

Back

The net force is 50 N to the left, as the left team is stronger.

Front

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

Back

The object remains at rest or continues to move at a constant speed in a straight line.

Front

What is friction?

Back

Friction is a force that opposes the motion of an object, acting in the opposite direction to the movement.