What is...?
The Difference between Mass and Weight:
Mass: is the amount of matter in an object.
Weight: is a force, the gravitational attraction that the object feels towards the earth's center.
Weight: is a force, the gravitational attraction that the object feels towards the earth's center.
Newton (N)
The SI unit of force.
Acceleration due to Gravity (g)
The acceleration is made by the force of gravity. It's value is constant for any given mass. It is around 9.81m/s squared.
Free Body Diagrams
Used to analyze situations involving forces.
It is a sketch that shows the object alone, with only the force vectors that act on the object.
It is a sketch that shows the object alone, with only the force vectors that act on the object.
Different Types of Forces
Force of Gravity (Fg)
Force of gravity is equal to mass times acceleration due to gravity (g). So Fg = mg
The force of attraction between any two objects which have mass. It tends to be small unless one of the objects is massive (like the earth).
Normal Force (Fn)
The force that acts perpendicular to the surface of the object, ensuring it doesn't enter the wall or floor.
Frictional Force (Ff)
Frictional force opposes motion. It's the resistance one surface has when moving over or across another.
There are 2 types of friction:
Static: which keeps an object "stuck". It opposes Applied Force.
It varies between 0 and it's maximum
Kinetic: which slows down an object/ It opposes movement.
It has a constant value.
There are 2 types of friction:
Static: which keeps an object "stuck". It opposes Applied Force.
It varies between 0 and it's maximum
Kinetic: which slows down an object/ It opposes movement.
It has a constant value.
Applied Force (Fa)
Applied force is the force that is created by a push or a pull. Applied force is always in the direction of movement, where as friction is in the opposite direction.
Tension
Tension is in wires. If there is two wires at the same angle they split the weight of whatever they are holing up evenly.