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Introduction

In Grade 10 we studied motion but not what caused the motion. In this chapter we will learn that a net force is needed to cause motion. We recall what a force is and learn about how force and motion are related. We are introduced to two new concepts, momentum and impulse, and we learn more about turning forces and the force of gravity.

Force

What is a force ?

A force is anything that can cause a change to objects. Forces can:

  • change the shape of an object
  • accelerate or stop an object
  • change the direction of a moving object.

A force can be classified as either a contact force or a non-contact force .

A contact force must touch or be in contact with an object to cause a change. Examples of contact forces are:

  • the force that is used to push or pull things, like on a door to open or close it
  • the force that a sculptor uses to turn clay into a pot
  • the force of the wind to turn a windmill

Write down 5 examples (excluding those given above) of contact forces that you see on your way to school.

A non-contact force does not have to touch an object to cause a change. Examples of non-contact forces are:

  • the force due to gravity, like the Earth pulling the Moon towards itself
  • the force due to electricity, like a proton and an electron attracting each other
  • the force due to magnetism, like a magnet pulling a paper clip towards itself

The unit of force is the newton (symbol N ). This unit is named after Sir Isaac Newton who first defined force. Force is a vector quantity and has a magnitude and a direction. We use the abbreviation F for force.

Interesting fact

There is a popular story that while Sir Isaac Newton was sitting under an apple tree, an apple fell on his head, and he suddenly thought of the Universal Law of Gravitation. Coincidently, the weight of a small apple is approximately 1 N.

Interesting fact

Force was first described by Archimedes of Syracuse (circa 287 BC - 212 BC). Archimedes was a Greek mathematician, astronomer, philosopher, physicist and engineer. He was killed by a Roman soldier during the sack of the city, despite orders from the Roman general, Marcellus, that he was not to be harmed.

This chapter will often refer to the resultant force acting on an object. The resultant force is simply the vector sum of all the forces acting on the object. It is very important to remember that all the forces must be acting on the same object. The resultant force is the force that has the same effect as all the other forces added together.

Examples of forces in physics

Most of Physics revolves around the study of forces. Although there are many different forces, all are handled in the same way. All forces in Physics can be put into one of four groups. These are gravitational forces, electromagnetic forces, strong nuclear forces and weak nuclear forces. You will mostly come across gravitational or electromagnetic forces at school.

Gravitational forces

Gravity is the attractive force between two objects due to the mass of the objects. When you throw a ball in the air, its mass and the Earth's mass attract each other, which leads to a force between them. The ball falls back towards the Earth, and the Earth accelerates towards the ball. The movement of the Earth towards the ball is, however, so small that you couldn't possibly measure it.

Questions & Answers

if three forces F1.f2 .f3 act at a point on a Cartesian plane in the daigram .....so if the question says write down the x and y components ..... I really don't understand
Syamthanda Reply
hey , can you please explain oxidation reaction & redox ?
Boitumelo Reply
hey , can you please explain oxidation reaction and redox ?
Boitumelo
for grade 12 or grade 11?
Sibulele
the value of V1 and V2
Tumelo Reply
advantages of electrons in a circuit
Rethabile Reply
we're do you find electromagnetism past papers
Ntombifuthi
what a normal force
Tholulwazi Reply
it is the force or component of the force that the surface exert on an object incontact with it and which acts perpendicular to the surface
Sihle
what is physics?
Petrus Reply
what is the half reaction of Potassium and chlorine
Anna Reply
how to calculate coefficient of static friction
Lisa Reply
how to calculate static friction
Lisa
How to calculate a current
Tumelo
how to calculate the magnitude of horizontal component of the applied force
Mogano
How to calculate force
Monambi
a structure of a thermocouple used to measure inner temperature
Anna Reply
a fixed gas of a mass is held at standard pressure temperature of 15 degrees Celsius .Calculate the temperature of the gas in Celsius if the pressure is changed to 2×10 to the power 4
Amahle Reply
How is energy being used in bonding?
Raymond Reply
what is acceleration
Syamthanda Reply
a rate of change in velocity of an object whith respect to time
Khuthadzo
how can we find the moment of torque of a circular object
Kidist
Acceleration is a rate of change in velocity.
Justice
t =r×f
Khuthadzo
how to calculate tension by substitution
Precious Reply
hi
Shongi
hi
Leago
use fnet method. how many obects are being calculated ?
Khuthadzo
khuthadzo hii
Hulisani
how to calculate acceleration and tension force
Lungile Reply
you use Fnet equals ma , newtoms second law formula
Masego
please help me with vectors in two dimensions
Mulaudzi Reply
how to calculate normal force
Mulaudzi

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Source:  OpenStax, Siyavula textbooks: grade 11 physical science. OpenStax CNX. Jul 29, 2011 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col11241/1.2
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