Topic 4 - Forces Flashcards
What is a force?
A push or a pull that acts on an object due to the interaction with another object.
What can forces change in an object?
Forces can change an object’s speed, direction, shape, and size.
What is a thrust force?
A thrust force can cause a car to speed up.
What effect does gravitational force have on a comet?
A gravitational force can cause a comet to change direction.
What do compression forces do to a spring?
Compression forces can cause a spring to change shape.
What is a resultant force?
A resultant force is a single force that describes all of the forces operating on a body.
What does the resultant force determine?
The resultant force determines the direction in which the object will move and the magnitude of the net force experienced by the object.
What are balanced forces?
Forces are balanced if multiple forces act in opposing directions with equal magnitude, canceling out the effects.
What are unbalanced forces?
Forces are unbalanced if the effects do not cancel out, resulting in a resultant force.
What is an example of balanced forces?
A book resting on a table is an example of balanced forces.
How do you calculate resultant force?
When adding forces, assign positive and negative values to show direction. For example, a 5 N force right and a 5 N force left results in a resultant force of 0 N.
What happens when two people push a box with equal force from opposite sides?
The box doesn’t move.
What is the resultant force when two people push a box in the same direction with different forces?
The forces will add together. For example, a 3 N force and a 7 N force results in a resultant force of 10 N.
What is the resultant force when two people push a box in opposite directions?
If one pushes with 7 N to the left and another with 3 N to the right, the resultant force is -4 N, and the box moves to the left.
What does Newton’s second law of motion state?
The acceleration of an object is proportional to the resultant force acting on it and inversely proportional to the object’s mass.
What happens when a non-zero resultant force acts on an object?
It causes a change in the object’s motion.
What is a resultant force?
A resultant force occurs when the forces acting on an object are not balanced.
What are the possible changes in motion due to a resultant force?
Speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction.
In which direction does an object accelerate when a resultant force is applied?
The object will accelerate in the direction of the resultant force.
How does the size of the resultant force affect acceleration?
The bigger the resultant force, the larger the acceleration.
How does an object’s mass affect its acceleration for a given force?
The greater the object’s mass, the smaller the acceleration experienced.
What is the equation for Newton’s second law?
F = ma
Where F = resultant force (N), m = mass (kg), a = acceleration (m/s²).
What direction does acceleration occur in relation to the resultant force?
The acceleration occurs in the same direction as the resultant force.
What is a formula triangle used for?
To calculate the unknown quantity by covering it up and revealing the structure of the equation.
What is the aim of the experiment?
The aim of this experiment is to investigate the relationship between force and extension for a spring.
What equipment is needed for investigating the extension of a spring?
A clamp stand, a ruler, a spring, and mass hangers.
How can measurement errors be reduced?
Fixing the ruler to the clamp stand will reduce movement in the ruler and, therefore, reduce errors in measurement.
What is the first step in the method?
Align the marker to a value on the ruler with no mass added to the spring, and record this initial length of the spring.
What should be done after adding the 100 g mass hanger?
Record the mass (in kg) and position (in cm) from the ruler now that the spring has extended.
What is the process repeated until all masses have been added?
Add another 100 g to the mass hanger, record the new mass and position, and repeat until all masses have been added.
How many times should the entire process be repeated?
The entire process should be repeated a total of three times, and an average length is calculated.
What must a suitable results table contain?
A suitable table of results must contain space for the calculations of force and extension.
How is the weight of the mass calculated?
The weight is calculated using the equation: W = m * g, where W is weight in newtons, m is mass in kilograms, and g is gravitational field strength.
What is the value of gravitational field strength used in calculations?
g = 9.8 N/kg.
How is the extension of the spring calculated?
Extension = final length - original length.
What should be plotted to analyze the results?
Plot a graph of the force against extension.
What indicates that the force is proportional to the extension?
If the graph has a linear region (is a straight line), then the force is proportional to the extension in this region.
What does a straight line graph through the origin indicate?
It shows that the extension of the spring is directly proportional to the force applied (Hooke’s Law).
What is a systematic error to avoid?
Make sure the measurements on the ruler are taken at eye level to avoid parallax error.
How can random errors be minimized?
Use a pointer at the bottom of the spring and wait a few seconds for the mass to become stationary before taking readings.
What should be checked regarding the spring’s limit?
Check that the spring has not gone past its limit of proportionality.
What safety considerations should be taken during the experiment?
Wear goggles, stand up while carrying out the experiment, and place a mat below the masses.
How should the clamp stand be secured?
Use a G clamp to secure the clamp stand to the desk.
What should be done when placing masses on the hanger?
Place each mass carefully on the hanger and do not pull the spring too hard.
