Resultant forces

• What is meant by a resultant force?

  A single force representing multiple forces
• What should you be able to do by the end of the video?

  Describe resultant force and calculate it
• What is the first step in calculating resultant forces acting in a straight line?

  Identify the forces acting on the object
• What is a force?

  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 to the right and friction is 10 Newtons to the left, what is the resultant force?


  10 Newtons to the right
• What does the resultant force represent?

  A single force with the same effect as all forces
• How do you calculate the resultant force when multiple forces act in opposite directions?

  Subtract the smaller force from the larger force
• What is the resultant force on the car if the driving force is 10,000 Newtons and total opposing forces are 9,000 Newtons?

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

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

  The forces acting on an object as arrows
• In a Freebody diagram, what does the length of the arrow represent?

  The size of the force acting on the object
• What is lift in the context of an airplane?

  A force acting upwards against weight
• Why must the forces on the airplane be balanced at constant altitude?

  To maintain a constant velocity and altitude
• What forces act on the airplane flying at constant velocity?

  Weight, lift, thrust, and drag
• 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 opposing forces from each other
  4. The resultant force is the net effect
• 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 is the significance of balanced forces in motion?

  • Resultant force is zero
  • Object maintains constant velocity
  • No acceleration occurs