A force can change the shape of an object or
change its motion or its state of rest.
The unit of force is the newton
(N).
When two objects interact, they always exert
equal and opposite forces on each other.
Resultant force (key points)
The resultant force is a single force that has the
same effect as all the forces acting on an object
If two forces act on an object along the
same line the resultant force is:
1) their sum if the forces act in the
same direction
2) their difference if the forced act in
opposite directions
If the resultant force on an object is zero, the object stays
at rest or at constant velocity. If the resultant fore on an
object is zero, the velocity of the object will change
Forces and acceleration (key points)
The bigger the resultant force on an
object is, the greater its acceleration is.
The greater the mass of an object is, the
smaller its acceleration is for a given force
Resultant force(newtons, N) =
mass(kilograms) x
acceleration(metre/second/second)
On the road (key points)
Friction and air resistance oppose
the driving force of a car.
High speed, poor weather conditions and
poor maintenance all increase the braking
distance.
Poor reaction time and high speed
both increase the thinking distance.
The stopping distance of a car depends on the
thinking distance and the braking distance.
Falling objects (key points)
The terminal velocity of a falling object is the
velocity it reaches when it is falling in a fluid.
The weight is then equal to
the drag force on the object
An object acted on only by gravity
accelerates at about 10m/s/s
The weight of an object is the force of gravity
on it. Its mass is the quantity of matter in it.
Forces and speed issues (key points)
Ant-skid surfaces increase the friction
between a car tyre and the road surfaces.
This reduces skids, or even prevents skids
altogether.
Fuel economy of road vehicles can
be improved by reducing the speed
or fitting a wind deflector.
Average speed cameras are linked in pairs and
they measure the average speed of a vehicle.
Stretching and squashing
(key points)
The spring constant of a spring is the force
per unit extension needed to stretch it.
The extension of a spring is directly proportional to the force
applied to it, provided the limit of proportionality is not exceeded.
The extension is the difference between the
length of the spring and its original length.