5.1 - Nature and types of force

Question 1

What are the two categories of forces?

Answer 1

Distant forces and contact forces

Question 2

What are distant forces?

Answer 2

Forces that act at a distance from their target object

Question 3

What is the best example of a distant force?

Answer 3

A gravitational force

Question 4

What does the strength of a gravitational force depend on?

Answer 4

The mass of one or both of the objects being extremely large

Question 5

In the case of humans feeling the effect of gravity, why is the force large enough so that we don’t fly away?

Answer 5

Because the objects are humans and the Earth, and the mass of the Earth is extremely large!

Question 6

What is the value of the gravitational field strength on Earth?

Answer 6

9.8N kg-1

Question 7

What is another example of a distant force?

Answer 7

Electrostatic forces between different charges

Question 8

What is a contact force?

Answer 8

A force that is exerted through physical contact

Question 9

Give an example of a contact force:

Answer 9

Friction

Question 10

What is tension?

Answer 10

A force caused by an increase in molecular separation - the molecular forces are trying to restore the object to its original state

Happens in things that can be stretched, such as a rubber band or spring