FORCES

Examples of Forces
A force is just a push or pull. Examples:
◦ an object’s weight
◦ tension in a rope
◦ a left hook to the schnozola
◦ friction
◦ attraction between an electron and proton
Bodies don’t have to be in contact to
exert forces on each other, e.g., gravity.
Fundamental Forces of Nature
Gravity
◦ Attraction between any two bodies w/ mass
◦ Weakest but most dominant
Electromagnetic
◦ Forces between any two bodies w/ charge
◦ Attractive or repulsive
Weak nuclear force – responsible for
radioactive decay
Strong nuclear force – holds quarks
together (constituents of protons and
neutrons)
Newton’s Laws of
Motion

1. Inertia: “An object in motion

tends to stay in motion. An
object at rest tends to stay at
rest.”
2. Fnet = ma
3. Action – Reaction: “For
every action there is an equal
but opposite reaction.”
1st Law: Inertia
“An object in motion tends to stay in motion;
an object at rest tends to stay at rest.”

A moving body will continue

moving in the same direction with
the same speed until some net
force acts on it.
A body at rest will remain at rest
unless a net force acts on it.
Summing it up: It takes a net
force to change a body’s velocity.
Inertia Example 1
An astronaut in
outer space will
continue drifting
in the same
direction at the
same speed
indefinitely, until
acted upon by an
outside force.
Inertia Example 2
If you’re driving at 65 mph and have an
accident, your car may come to a stop in
an instant, while your body is still moving
at 65 mph. Without a seatbelt, your inertia
could carry you through the windshield.
a
The acceleration an object undergoes is
directly proportion to the net force
acting on it.
Mass is the constant of proportionality.
For a given mass, if Fnet doubles, triples,
etc. in size, so does a.
For a given Fnet if m doubles, a is cut in
half.
Fnet and a are vectors; m is a scalar.
Fnet and a always point in the same
direction.
The 1st law is really a special case of the
nd
What is Net Force?
F1
When more than one
force acts on a body,
F2 the net force
F3 (resultant force) is
the vector
combination of all the
forces, i.e., the “net
Fnet effect.”
Net Force & the 2nd Law
For a while, we’ll only deal with forces that are
horizontal or vertical.
When forces act in the same line, we can just
add or subtract their magnitudes to find the
net force.
15 N 32 N

2 kg 10 N

Fnet = 27 N to the right

a = 13.5 m/s2
 Fnet = m a

1N = 1 kg m/s2
The SI unit of force is the Newton.
A Newton is about a quarter pound.
Units
1 lb = 4.45 N
 Graph of F vs. a
In the lab various known forces are applied—
one at a time, to the same mass—and the
corresponding accelerations are measured.
The data are plotted. Since F and a are
directly proportional, the relationship is linear.

a
 Slope
Since slope = rise / run = F / a, the slope is
equal to the mass. Or, think of y = m x + b,
like in algebra class. y corresponds to force,
m to mass, x to acceleration, and b (the
y-intercept) is zero.

F
a

a
 W = mg
Weight = mass  acceleration due to
gravity.
This follows directly from F = m a.
Weight is the force of gravity on a body.
• Near the surface of the Earth,
g = 9.8 m/s2.
Two Kinds of Mass
Inertial mass: the net force on an
object divided by its acceleration. m =
Fnet / a
Gravitational mass: Compare the
gravitational attraction of an unknown
mass to that of a known mass, usually
with a balance. If it balances, the
masses are equal.
m ? Einstein asserted that
these two kinds of masses
are equivalent.
Balance
 “For every action there’s an
Action - Reaction equal but opposite reaction.”
If you hit a tennis ball with a racquet,
the force on the ball due to the racquet
is the same as the force on the racquet
due to the ball, except in the opposite
direction.
If you drop an apple, the Earth pulls on
the apple just as hard as the apple pulls
on the Earth.
If you fire a rifle, the bullet pushes the
rifle backwards just as hard as the rifle
pushes the bullet forwards.
 Earth / Apple
How could the forces on the tennis ball, apple, and
bullet, be the same as on the racquet, Earth, and rifle?
The 3rd Law says they must be, the effects are different
because of the 2nd Law!

apple 0.40 kg A 0.40 kg apple weighs 3.92 N

(W = mg). The apple’s weight
3.92 N
is Earth’s force on it. The
apple pulls back just as hard.
So, the same force acts on
both bodies. Since their
Earth masses are different, so are
3.92 N their accelerations (2nd Law).
The Earth’s mass is so big, it’s
5.98  1024 kg acceleration is negligible.
The products are the same, since the forces are the same.

m
a = m a

Apple’s Earth’s
little mass big mass Earth’s little
Apple’s big
Earth / Apple (cont.) acceleration
acceleration
Lost in Space

Suppose an International Space Station

astronaut is on a spacewalk when her tether
snaps. Drifting away from the safety of the
station, what might she do to make it back?
 Swimming
Due to the 3rd Law, when you swim you push the water
(blue), and it pushes you back just as hard (red) in the
forward direction. The water around your body also
produces a drag force (green) on you, pushing you in the
backward direction. If the green and red cancel out, you
don’t accelerate (2nd Law) and maintain a constant velocity.

Note: The blue vector is a force on the water, not the on

swimmer! Only the green and red vectors act on the swimmer.
Demolition Derby

When two cars of

different size collide,
the forces on each are
the SAME (but in
opposite directions).
However, the same
force on a smaller car
means a bigger
acceleration!
Free fall
An object is in free fall if the only force
acting on it is gravity.
It doesn’t matter which way it’s moving.
A shell in a cannon is not in freefall until
it leaves the barrel of the cannon.
(There are other forces acting on it while
inside the barrel.)
For an object in free fall, a = -g, if:
◦ we ignore air resistance.
◦ don’t stray too far from Earth.
Freefall (cont.)
Any launched object is in freefall the
entire time it’s in the air, if:
◦ we ignore air resistance.
◦ it has no propulsion system.
With the previous condition met,
a = -g = -9.8 m/s2 everywhere:
◦ on the way up
◦ at its peak
◦ on the way down
 Hippo & Ping Pong Ball
In a vacuum, all bodies fall at the same rate.

If a hippo and a
ping pong ball
were dropped
from a helicopter
in a vacuum
(assuming the
copter could fly
without air), they’d
land at the same
time.

When there’s no air resistance, size and shape don’t matter!

Misconceptions
Ifan object is moving, there must be
some force making it move. Wrong! It
could be moving without accelerating.

If v = 0, then a and Fnet must be zero.

Wrong! Think of a projectile shot straight
up at its peak.
An object must move in the direction of
the net force. Wrong! It must
accelerate that way but not necessarily
move that way.
 Misconceptions (cont.)
Heavy objects must fall faster than light
ones. Wrong! The rate is the same in a
vacuum.
When a big object collides with a little one,
the big one hits the little one harder than
the little one hits the big one. Wrong! The
3rd Law says they hit it each other with the
same force.
Ifan object accelerates, its speed must
change. Wrong! It could be turning at
constant speed.
 Projectile confusion
a  0 at the vertex (peak) of a projectile’s
trajectory. Velocity can be zero there, but not
acceleration!

If a were zero at the vertex, Fnet would have

to be zero as well (by the 2nd law), which
means gravity would have to be turned off!

a = -g throughout the whole trip, including

the high point !
Forces &force
1. Find net Kinematics
(by combining vectors).
2. To solve motion
Calculate problems involving
acceleration (using 2 forces:
nd
law).
3. Use kinematics equations:
vf = v0 + a t
x = v0 t +  a t2
vf2 – v02 = 2 a x
1
2
 Sample Problem 1
Goblin
400 N
Ogre 1200 N
Treasure 300 kg
Troll 850 N

A troll and a goblin are fighting with a big, mean ogre

over a treasure chest, initially at rest. Find:

1. Fnet = 50 N left

2. a = 0.167 m/s2 left

3. v after 5 s = 0.835 m/s left
4. x after 5 s = 2.08 m left
A 3 kg watermelon is launched straight up by applying a
70 N force over 2 m. Find its max height. Hints:
Phase I: the launch
1. Draw pic and find net force. 40.6 N up

2. Calculate a during launch. +13.5333 m/s2

3. Calculate vf at the end of the launch (after 2 m).

+7.3575 m/s
Phase II: freefall
1. Draw pic and think about what a is now. -9.8 m/s2
2. vf from phase I is v0 for phase II. -9.8 m/s2

3. What is vf for phase II? zero

4. Calculate max height & add 2 m. 4.76 m

Normal force
When an object lies on a table or on the
ground, the table or ground must exert
an upward force on it, otherwise gravity
would accelerate it down.
This force is called the normal force.

N
m In this particular case,
N = mg.

mg So, Fnet = 0; hence a = 0.

Normal forces aren’t
always up
“Normal” means perpendicular. A normal force
is always perpendicular to the contact surface.

N For example, if a
flower pot is
setting on an
incline, N is not
vertical; it’s at a
right angle to the
incline. Also, in
mg
this case, mg > N.
Normal force directions
Up
◦ You’re standing on level ground.
◦ You’re at the bottom of a circle while flying a
loop-the-loop in a plane.
Sideways
◦ A ladder leans up against a wall.
◦ You’re against the wall on the “Round Up”
ride when the floor drops out.
At an angle
◦ A race car takes a turn on a banked track.
Down
◦ You’re in a roller coaster at the top of a loop.
Cases in which N  mg
1. Mass on incline
2. Applied force acting on the mass
3. Nonzero acceleration, as in an elevator or
launching space shuttle

N FA N
N a

mg
mg mg
When does N = mg ?

If the following conditions are satisfied,

then N = mg:
The object is on a level surface.
There’s nothing pushing it down or
pulling it up.
The object is not accelerating vertically.
 N and mg are NOT an Action-
Reaction Pair!
“Switch the nouns to find the reaction partner.”
N The dot represents the man.
m mg, his weight, is the force on
mg the man due to the Earth.
Fg FE is the force on the
Earth due to the man.

FE
N, the normal force, is the force
Earth on the man due to the ground.
Fg is the force on the
ground due to the man.
The red vectors are an action-reaction pair. So are the blue
vectors. Action-reaction pairs always act on two different bodies!
 Box / Tension Problem
38 N T1 T2
8 kg 5 kg 6 kg

frictionless floor

 A force is applied to a box that is connected

to other boxes by ropes. The whole system
is accelerating to the left.
 The problem is to find the tensions in the
ropes.
 We can apply the 2nd Law to each box
individually as well as to the whole system.
 Box / Tension Analysis
38 N T1 T2
8 kg 5 kg 6 kg

frictionless floor

 T1 pulls on the 8-kg box to the right just as

hard as it pulls on the middle box to the left.
 T1 must be < 38 N, or the 8-kg box couldn’t
accelerate.
 T2 pulls on the middle box to the right just as
hard as it pulls on the 6-kg box to the left.
 T1 must be > T2 or the middle box couldn’t
accelerate.
 Free Body Diagram –
system
For convenience, we’ll choose
N left to be the positive direction.

The total mass of all three

boxes is 19 kg.
38 N N and mg cancel out.
19 kg
Fnet = m a implies
a = 2.0 m/s2
Since the ropes don’t
mg stretch, a will be 2.0 m/s2
for all three boxes.
Free Body Diagram – right
box
N and mg cancel out.
N
For this particular box,
Fnet = m a implies: T2 6 kg

T2 = 6a = 6(2) = 12 N.
(Remember, a = 2 m/s2 for all mg
three boxes.)

38 N T1 T2
8 kg 5 kg 6 kg
frictionless floor
 Free Body Diagram –
middle box
N and mg cancel N
out again.
T1 T2 = 12 N
5 kg
Fnet = m a implies:

T1 – T2 = 5a. So, mg
T1 – 12 = 5(2), and
T1 = 22 N

38 N T1 T2
8 kg 5 kg 6 kg
frictionless floor
Free Body Diagram – left
box
Let’s check our work
N
using the left box.
38 N T1 = 22 N N and mg cancel out
8 kg
here too.
Fnet = ma implies:
mg
38 - 22 = ma = 8(2).
16 = 16.

38 N T1 T2
8 kg 5 kg 6 kg
Atwood Device

Assume m1 < m2 and that the

clockwise direction is +.
If the rope & pulley have
T negligible mass, and if the
pulley is frictionless, then T is
m1
T the same throughout the
rope.
m1g m2 If the rope doesn’t stretch, a
is the same for both masses.
m2g
Atwood Analysis
Remember, clockwise has been defined as +.

2nd Law on m1: T - m1g = m1a

2nd Law on m2: m2g - T = m2 a

T Add equations:
T m2g – m1g = m1a + m2 a
m1
(The T ’s cancel out.)
Solve for a:
m1g m2
a = m2 – m1 g
m2g m1 + m2
Atwood as a system
Treated as a system (rope & both
masses), tension is internal and
the T ’s cancel out (one clock-wise,
one counterclockwise).

T Fnet = (total mass)  a implies

(force in + direction) -
m1
T (force in - direction)
= m2g - m1g = (m1 + m2) a.
m1g m2 Solving for a gives the same
result. Then, knowing a, T can
m2g be found by substitution.
Atwood: Unit Check
m2 – m1
a= g
m1 + m2
kg - kg m m
units: =
kg + kg s2 s2
Whenever you derive a formula you should check
to see if it gives the appropriate units. If not, you
screwed up. If so, it doesn’t prove you’re right, but
it’s a good way to check for errors. Remember,
you can multiply or divide scalar quantities with
different units, but you can only add or subtract
quantities with the same units!
 Atwood: Checking
Extremes
Besides units, you should
also check a formula to see m2 – m1
if what happens in extreme a= g
m1 + m2
& special cases makes sense.
m2 >> m1 : In this case, m1 is negligible compared
to m2. If we let m1 = 0 in the formula, we get m1
a = (m2 / m2 )g = g, which makes sense, since with
only one mass, we have freefall.
m2 << m1 : This time m2 is negligible compared to m2
m1, and if we let m2 = 0 in the formula, we get
a = (-m1 / m1 )g = -g, which is freefall in the negative
(counterclockwise) direction.
m2 = m1 : In this case we find a = 0 / (2m1)g = 0, which is
what we would expect considering the device is balanced.
Note: The masses in the last case can still move but only
 Friction
Friction is the force bodies can impart
on each other when they’re in contact.
The friction forces are parallel to the
contact surface and occur when…
• One body slides over the other, or…
• They cling together despite and external force.
The forces shown are an action-reaction pair.
(force on box
due to table)
f v
Acme Hand
Grenades

f (force on table due to box)

 Friction Facts
Friction is due to electrostatic attraction
between the atoms of the objects in
contact.
It can speed you up, slow you down, or
make you turn.
It allows you to walk, turn a corner on
your bike, warm your hands in the winter,
and see a meteor shower.
Friction often creates waste heat.
It makes you push harder / longer to
attain a given acceleration.
Like any force, it always has an action-
Two Kinds of Friction
fs FA
Static friction
◦ Must be overcome in order
to budge an object Objects are still or
◦ Present only when there is moving together.
no relative motion between Fnet = 0.
the bodies, e.g., the box &
table top
Kinetic friction
◦ Weaker than static friction
◦ Present only when objects fk FA
are moving with respect to
each other (skidding)
Fnet is to the right.
a is to the right.
v is left or right.
Friction Strength
The magnitude of the friction force is
proportional to:
how hard the two bodies are pressed
together (the normal force, N ).
the materials from which the bodies are
made (the coefficient of friction,  ).

Attributes that have little or no effect:

• sliding speed
• contact area
Coefficients of Friction
Static coefficient … s.
Kinetic coefficient … k.
Both depend on the materials in
contact.
◦ Small for steel on ice or scrambled egg on
Teflon frying pan
◦ Large for rubber on concrete or cardboard
box on carpeting
The bigger the coefficient of friction, the
bigger the frictional force.
Static Friction Force
fs  s N
normal
static
coefficient of force
frictional
force static friction

fs, max = s N
maximum
force of static
fs, max is the force you
friction must exceed in order to
budge a resting object.
 Static friction force varies
fs, max is a constant in a given problem,
but fs varies.
fs matches FA until FA exceeds fs, max.
Example: In the picture below, if s for
a wooden crate on a tile floor is 0.6,
fs, max = 0.6 (10 ) (9.8) = 58.8 N.
fs = 27 N FA = 27 N
10 kg
fs = 43 N FA = 43 N
10 kg

fk FA = 66 N The box finally budges when FA

10 kg
surpasses fs, max. Then kinetic
acts on the box.
Kinetic Friction
fk = k N
normal
kinetic
coefficient of force
frictional
force kinetic friction

Once object budges, forget about s.

Use k instead.

f is a constant so long as the materials

k

involved don’t change.

 There is no “maximum f .”
k
Typically, 0 < k < s < 1.
This is why it’s harder to budge an object
than to keep it moving.
If k > 1, it would be easier to lift an
object and carry it than to slide across the
floor.
Dimensionless (’s have no units, as is
apparent from f =  N).

 values
 Friction Example 1
You push a giant barrel o’ monkeys setting
on a table with a constant force of 63 N. If
k = 0.35 and s =0.58, when will the barrel
have moved 15 m?

Never, since this force won’t even budge it!

answer:
63 < 0.58 (14.7) (9.8)  83.6 N

Barrel o’
Monkeys 14.7 kg
 Friction Example 2
Same as the last problem except with a bigger FA: You push
the barrel o’ monkeys with a constant force of 281 N.
k = 0.35 and s =0.58, same as before. When will the barrel
have moved 15 m?

step 1: fs, max = 0.58 (14.7) (9.8)  83.6 N

step 2: FA= 281N > fs max. Thus, it budges this time.
,

step 3: Forget fs and calculate fk:

fk = 0.35 (14.7) (9.8) = 50.421 N
Barrel o’
Monkeys 14.7 kg (continued on next slide)
step 4: Free body diagram while sliding:
Friction
Friction Example
Example 2
2 (continued)
(continued)

N
fk FA

mg
step 5: Fnet = FA – fk = 281 - 50.421 = 230.579 N
Note: To avoid compounding of error, do not round until the
end of the problem.
step 6: a = Fnet / m = 230.579 / 14.7 = 15.68564 m/s2

step 7: Kinematics: x = +15 m, v0 = 0,

a = +15.68564 m/s2, t = ?
x = v0 t + ½ a t 2  t = 2 x / a  1.38 s
Friction as the net force
A runner is trying to steal second base. He’s
running at a speed v; his mass is m. The
coefficient of kinetic friction between his uniform
and the base pass is . How far from second base
should he begin his slide in order to come to a stop
right at the base?
Note: In problems like these where no numbers are
given, you are expected to answer the questions in
terms of the given parameters and any constants.
Here, the given parameters are m, , and v.
Constants may include g, , and “regular” numbers
like 27 and –1.86. (continued on next slide)
 N Once the slide begins, there is no
applied force. Since N and mg cancel
fk Friction
Friction as
as the
the net
net force
force (cont.)
(cont.)

out, fk is the net force. So Newton’s 2nd

Law tells us:
mg
fk = ma. But the friction force is also
given by fk =  N =  m g.
Therefore,  m g = m a. Mass cancels out, meaning
the distance of his slide is completely independent of
how big he is, and we have a =  g. (Note that the
units work out since  is dimensionless.) This is just
the magnitude of a. If the forward direction is
positive, his acceleration (which is always in the
direction of the net force) must be negative.
So, a = - g. (continued on next slide)
 Since he comes to rest at 2nd base, vf = 0.
vf 2 - v02 = 2 a x
 0 - v 2 = -2  g x
 x = v 2 / (2  g)

Unit check: (m/s)2 / (m/s2) = m2 / m = m

Note the slide distance is inversely proportional

to the coefficient of friction, which makes sense,
since the bigger  is, the bigger f is.
Note also that here v and Fnet are in opposite
directions, which is perfectly fine.
A scale is NOT necessarily a weight meter.
A scale is a normal force meter.
A scale might lie about your weight if
◦ you’re on an incline.
◦ someone pushes down or pulls up on you.
◦ you’re in an elevator.
You’reactual weight doesn’t change in the
above cases.

Scales
Weight in a Rocket

You’re on a rocket excursion

standing on a purple
U bathroom scale. You’re still
S near enough to the Earth so
that your actual weight is
A
unchanged.
The scale, recall, measures
normal force, not weight.
Your apparent weight
depends on the acceleration
of the rocket.
Rocket:

At rest on the launch pad

During the countdown

to blast off, you’re not
U a=0 accelerating. The scale
S v=0 pushes up on you just
A as hard as the Earth
N pulls down on you. So,
the scale reads your
actual weight.
m

mg
Rocket: Blasting Off
During blast off your
acceleration is up, so the
net force must be up (no
a  matter which way v is).
U
v 
S Fnet = m a
A N
 N - mg = m a
 N = m (a + g) > mg
 Apparent weight > Actual weight

mg
Rocket: Conversion trick
Here’s a useful trick to avoid having to convert N
between pounds, newtons, and kg. Suppose you
weigh 150 lb and you’re accelerating up at 8 m/s2.
N - mg = m a  N = m a + mg = m a + 150 lb
But to find m, we’d have to convert your weight to
newtons and  by 9.8 m/s2 (a pain in the butt). The mg
trick is to multiply and divide ma by g and replace
mg with 150 lb again:

Apparent weight = N = mga / g + mg

= (150 lb) (8 m/s2) / 9.8 m/s2 + 150 lb = 272.44 lb
Note that all units cancel out except for pounds,
and no conversions are required.
velocity

If v = constant, then a = 0.
If a = 0, then Fnet = 0 too.
U a=0 If Fnet = 0, then N must be
S v equal in magnitude to mg.
A This means that the scale
N reads your normal weight
(same as if you were at rest)
m regardless of how fast you’re
going, so long as you’re not
accelerating.
mg
Rocket: Engines on low
As soon as you cut way back on the
engines, the Earth pulls harder on
you than the scale pushes up. So
you’re acceleration is down, but you’ll U a
still head upward for a while. S v
Choosing down as the positive
direction, A

Fnet = m a N

 mg - N = m a m

 N = m (g - a) < mg mg
 Apparent weight < Actual weight
Air Resistance
Although we often ignore it, air
resistance, R, is usually
significant in real life.
R R depends on:
◦ speed (approximately proportional
to v 2 )
m ◦ cross-sectional area
◦ air density
◦ other factors like shape
R is not a constant; it changes
mg
as the speed changes
Volume & Cross-sectional
Area

2z
z
Area y
x Area 2y
Volume = xyz 2x
Area = xy Volume = 8 xyz
Area = 4 xy
If all dimensions of an object are doubled the
cross-sectional area gets 4 times bigger, but
the volume goes up by a factor of 8.
Falling in Air 4R
R

m
A 8m
mg 4A
With all sides doubled, the area exposed
to air is quadrupled, so the resistance
force is 4 times greater. However, since
the volume goes up by a factor of 8, the
8 mg
weight is 8 times greater (as long as
we’re dealing with the same materials).
Conclusion: when the only difference is
size, bigger objects fall faster in air.
 Terminal Velocity
Suppose a daredevil frog jumps out of a
skyscraper window. At first v = 0, so R = 0 too,
and a = -g. As the frog speeds up, R increases,
and his acceleration diminishes. If he falls long
enough his speed will be big enough to make R
as big as mg. When this happens the net force
is zero, so the acceleration must be zero too.
This means this frog’s velocity can’t R
change any more. He has reached
his terminal velocity. Small objects,
like raindrops and insects, reach
terminal velocity more quickly than
large objects. mg
Biophysics
The strength of a bone, like a femur, is
proportional to its cross-sectional area, A. But
the animal’s weight is proportional to its volume.
Giant ants and rats from sci-fi movies couldn’t
A exist because they’d crush themselves!
Here’s why: Suppose all dimensions are
increased by a factor of 10. Then the volume
F (and hence the weight) becomes 1000 times
e bigger, but the area (and hence the strength)
m only becomes 100 times bigger.
u Consequences: Basketball players, because
r of their height, tend to suffer lots of stress
fractures; and elephants have evolved
proportionally bigger femurs than deer.