More on forces

• What are scale diagrams used for in forces?

  Calculating resultant forces and checking balance
• What is the resultant force when an object is in equilibrium?

  Zero
• What does it mean for an object to be in equilibrium?

  Forces acting on it are balanced
• How can you visually represent forces in equilibrium on a scale diagram?

  The tip of the last force meets the tail of the first
• How would you represent three forces in equilibrium on a scale diagram?

  It will form a triangle
• What should you do to find a missing force when an object is in equilibrium?

  Draw known forces and connect them tip-to-tail
• What is the purpose of splitting a force into components?

  To simplify dealing with forces at angles
• What are the two components into which a force can be split?

  Horizontal and vertical
• What effect do the components of a force have when acting together?

  They have the same effect as the single force
• How can you resolve a force into components using a scale grid?

  Draw it on a scale grid and form a triangle
• What is the first step to resolve a 10 N force at 53°?

  Decide on a scale for your grid
• If 1 cm represents 1.5 N on a grid, how would you represent a 10 N force?

  Draw a force of approximately 6.67 cm
• What should you do after drawing the force on the grid?

  Draw horizontal and vertical arrows
• What are the horizontal and vertical components of a 10 N force at 53°?

  Horizontal component = 6 N, Vertical component = 8 N
• Why must scale diagrams keep things in proportion?

  To ensure accurate representation of forces
• How do you find the third force acting on an object in equilibrium with two known forces?

  1. Identify the known forces.
  2. Draw them to scale tip-to-tail.
  3. Connect the end of the last force to the start of the first.
  4. Measure the resulting line for magnitude and direction.