Resultant forces

• What is meant by a resultant force?

  A single force representing multiple forces
• How do you calculate the resultant of forces acting in a straight line?

  Subtract the smaller force from the larger force
• What is a Freebody diagram used for?

  To show forces acting on an object
• What is a force defined as?

  A push or pull acting on an object
• Why are forces considered vector quantities?

  They have both magnitude and direction
• If a man pushes a box with 20 Newtons right and friction is 10 Newtons left, what is the resultant force?

  10 Newtons acting to the right
• What is the resultant force on the car if the driving force is 10,000 Newtons and total opposing force is 9,000 Newtons?

  1,000 Newtons acting to the left
• What does it mean when forces are balanced?

  The resultant force is zero
• What does a Freebody diagram represent?

  The object as a point with forces as arrows
• In a Freebody diagram, what does the length of the arrow represent?

  The size of the force
• What is the term for the upward force acting on the airplane?

  Lift
• What forces act on the airplane flying at constant altitude?

  Weight, lift, thrust, and drag
• Why must the forward and backward forces on the airplane be balanced?

  Because the airplane moves at constant velocity
• What are the steps to calculate resultant forces?

  1. Identify all forces acting on the object
  2. Determine the direction of each force
  3. Subtract smaller forces from larger forces
  4. The result is the resultant force
• What are the key components of a Freebody diagram?

  • Object represented as a point
  • Forces drawn as arrows
  • Length of arrows indicates force size
  • Direction of arrows indicates force direction
• What are the forces acting on a skydiver at constant velocity?

  • Weight acting downwards (800 Newtons)
  • Air resistance acting upwards (800 Newtons)
  • Resultant force is zero (balanced forces)