TOPIC 2.2 Forces and Free-Body Diagrams

Front

What are forces?

Back

Forces are vector quantities that describe the interactions between objects or systems.

Front

What causes a force to be exerted on an object or system?

Back

A force exerted on an object or system is always due to the interaction of that object with another object or system.

Front

Can an object exert a net force on itself?

Back

No, an object or system cannot exert a net force on itself.

Front

What are contact forces?

Back

Contact forces describe the interaction of an object or system touching another object or system and are macroscopic effects of interatomic electric forces.

Front

What are free-body diagrams used for?

Back

Free-body diagrams are useful tools for visualizing forces being exerted on a single object or system and for determining the equations that represent a physical situation.

Front

What does a free-body diagram show?

Back

The free-body diagram of an object or system shows each of the forces exerted on the object by the environment.

Front

How are forces represented in a free-body diagram?

Back

Forces exerted on an object or system are represented as vectors originating from the representation of the center of mass, such as a dot.

Front

How is a system treated in terms of mass in a free-body diagram?

Back

A system is treated as though all of its mass is located at the center of mass.

Front

How does a coordinate system simplify the translation from a free-body diagram to algebraic representation?

Back

A coordinate system with one axis parallel to the direction of acceleration of the object or system simplifies the translation from free-body diagram to algebraic representation.

Front

What is an example of setting a coordinate system in a free-body diagram?

Back

In a free-body diagram of an object on an inclined plane, it is useful to set one axis parallel to the surface of the incline.