Forces Flashcards
What is a force?
A force is a push or pull on an object.
What do forces change?
Forces can change the shape, the speed, and the direction of an object.
What is force measured in?
Force is measured in units called Newtons.
How can the size of a pulling force be measured?
The size of a pulling force can be measured using an instrument called a newton balance.
They are sometimes called spring balances.
How do you measure a force using a newton balance?
When you pull gently on the hook of a newton balance, the pointer moves down depending on the force.
Why do different newton balances have different springs and scales?
Some springs can be tighter/slacker which allows a variety of different sizes of forces to be measured.
What causes the spring to stretch when the object is hanging from it?
The pull of gravity
What type of force does earth exert on all objects and why?
The earth exerts a pulling force on all objects. The force is due to the Earths gravity.
Where all objects of the earth being pulled towards?
The centre of the earth.
What is weight?
Weight is the force of gravity acting on an object
What is weight measured in?
Weight is measured in units called Newtons (N)
What instrument is weight measured in?
Newton balance
What is mass?
Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object.
What is mass measured in?
Mass is measured in units called kilograms (kg)
What instrument is mass measured in?
An electronic balance
Is the weight of an object the same for all objects and why?
No because more force is needed to lift some objects up.
How do you measure the weight of an object?
Hang it from the bottom of the balance, hold it steady and read the scale
The bigger the mass…?
The bigger the weight
How is the weight of an obejct calculated?
The weight of an object is calculated by multiplying its mass in kilograms by 10
What do all objects with mass exert?
All objects with mass exert a force of gravity.
The bigger the mass…?
The bigger the force of gravity.
Why is the force of gravity exerted by the earth very large?
The force of gravity exerted by the earth id very large because it has a very big mass.
Why is the force of gravity acting on an object on the moon smaller than that of earth?
The mass of the moon is smaller than that of earth. Therefore, the force of gravity on an object on the moon would be smaller than it would be on earth.
What is the earth’s gravitational field?
The earths gravitational field is the region around the earth in which a mass can experience a force due to the pull of the earths gravity