P5: FORCES Flashcards
What is a scalar quantity and give three examples
It is a physical quantity which has magnitude (size) only. For example: time, voltage , energy
What is a vector quantity? Give three examples
It has a magnitude and a direction. For example:
velocity, force, displacement
How can a vector quantity be drawn and what does it show?
- as an arrow
- length of arrow = the magnitude
- the arrow points in the associated direction
what is a force? Give the two types
- a push or pull acting on an object due to an interaction with another object
- contact forces
- non-contact forces
give three examples of contact forces
- friction
- Air resistance
- Tension
give three examples of non-contact forces
- gravitational forces
- electrostatic forces
- magnetic forces
Give three examples of vector quantities
- velocity
- Displacement
- Force
Give 5 examples of scalar quantities
- temperature
- time
- mass
- speed
- distance,
- energy
what is weight?
Weight is the force acting on an object due to
gravity.
what quantities does weight depend on? Include equation and units
Weight = mass x gravitational field strength
- The object’s mass
- the gravitational field strength at the given position in the field
weight: Newtons , N
g = Newtons per kilogram , N/kg
What is the meant by an object’s centre of mass?
- the single point where an object’s weight can be considered to act through
What piece of equipment can be used to measure an object’s weight
- a calibrated spring-balance or newton-metre
define ‘ the resultant force’
- the name given to the single force that is equivalent to all the other forces acting on a given object
State the effect of balanced forces on
an object’s motion.
- a stationary object stays still
- a moving object continues to move at
the same speed and in the same
direction
Describe how stationary and moving objects move when a resultant force acts.
- a stationary object starts to move in the
direction of the resultant force - a moving object changes speed and/or
direction in the direction of the
resultant force
What does it mean to “resolve a
force”?
A single force can be resolved into two
components acting at right angles to each
other. The two component forces together have the same effect as the single force.
What does it mean if a force is said to do ‘ work’
A force does work on an object when the force causes a displacement of the object.
What is the equation used to calculate work done? Give appropriate units.
Work done = Force x distance
work done = joules
force = newtons
distance= metres
Wat distance must be used when calculating work done?
- it must be the distance that is moved along the line of action of the force
Under what circumstance is 1 joule of work done?
- when a force of 1 newton causes a displacement of 1 metre
How many N/m are equal to 1 joule of energy
1 Nm = 1J
What occurs when work is done against frictional forces?
- a rise in temperature of the object occurs
- kinetic energy is converted to heat
Why does air resistance slow down a projectile?
- the object does work against the air resistance
- kinetic energy is converted in to heat, slowing down the object
Explain the relationship between the force applied and the extension of an elastic object - Hooke’s Law
The extension is directly proportional to the force applied, provided that the limit of proportionality is not exceeded
What is meant by an inelastic deformation?
- A deformation which results in the object being permanently stretched
- the object doesn’t return to its original shape when the force is removed
State the equation relating force, spring constant and extension . Give appropriate units.
Force= Spring Constant x Extension
Force: N
spring constant : N/m
Extension : m
What type of energy is stored in a spring when it is stretched?
Elastic potential energy
What can extension be replaced with in the equation for spring force?
Compression
When work is done to stretch a spring,
how much elastic potential energy is
stored?
Provided that the spring is not inelastically deformed, the work done on the spring and the elastic potential energy stored are equal
Define moment.
The turning effect of a force around a
point/pivot
State the equation for
moment of a force and the units
Moment = force x distance
moment: Newton metre (Nm)
force: Newton
distance: metre
What distance measurement is used when calculating a moment?
- the perpendicular distance from the pivot to the line of action of the force
If an object is in equilibrium , what can be said about the moments acting on the object.
The sum of the clockwise moment about the pivot is equal to the sum of the anticlockwise moment about the pivot
State two ways to increase the size of a moment
- Increase the size of the applied force
- Increase the perpendicular distance
from the line of action of the force to
the pivot
What three parts make up a lever system?
- Load
- Effort
- Pivot
Explain how a lever can act
as a force multiplier
- if the distance between the effort and the pivot is greater than the distance between the pivot and load, the force applied o the load is greater than the effort force.
- this is since the moment on both the effort and load must be the same
- ( less force is needed to get the same moment )
Give an example of when a lever may be used to multiply a force.
- a wrench , which has a long handle so that the force applied by the user is multiplied.