Force

By the end of this lesson you will be able to:

1. Define and explain what a force is
2. List and describe the main kinds of forces
3. Explain the effects of a force

• Predict, qualitatively, how an external force will affect the speed and direction of an object's motion.
• Explain the effects with the help of a free body diagram.
• Use free body diagrams to draw position, velocity, acceleration and force graphs and vice versa.
• Explain how the graphs relate to one another.
• Given a scenario or a graph, sketch all four graphs.

• Determine the variables that affect the strength and direction of the electric field for a static arrangement of charges.
• Investigate the variables that affect the strength of the electrostatic potential (voltage).
• Explain equipotential lines and compare them to the electric field lines.
• For an arrangement of static charges, predict the electric field lines. Verify the prediction using vector addition.

• Relate the electrostatic force magnitude to the charges and the distance between them
• Explain Newton's third law for electrostatic forces
• Use measurements to determine Coulomb’s constant
• Determine what makes a force attractive or repulsive

Visualising, adding and breaking down vectors in 2 dimensions.

Defining and comparing tension, weight, friction and normal forces using free body diagrams.

A force diagram is a useful tool to help us visualise forces acting on an object and gives us informa- tion about the object’s motion. We often use force diagrams when solving calculations involving the forces acting on an object.

In this unit you will learn what a force is and find out about different types of forces. This will allow you to identify forces at work in your everyday life and understand the effects of forces.

saac Newton (1642–1727) was a natural philosopher; a great thinker who combined science and philosophy to try to explain the workings of nature on Earth and in the universe. His laws of motion were just one part of the monumental work that has made him legendary. The development of Newton’s laws marks the transition from the Renaissance period of history to the modern era. This transition was characterized by a revolutionary change in the way people thought about the physical universe. Drawing upon earlier work by scientists Galileo Galilei and Johannes Kepler, Newton’s laws of motion allowed motion on Earth and in space to be predicted mathematically. 

Short Physics tutorial on Forces. On completion you will be able to 

1. Define and explain what a force is
2. List and describe the main kinds of forces
3. Explain the effects of a force