free body diagrams

Front

What is a free body diagram?

Back

A graphical representation used to visualize the forces acting on an object.

Front

What does the normal force do?

Back

It acts perpendicular to the surface and supports the weight of an object resting on it.

Front

What is tension in the context of forces?

Back

The force exerted by ropes, strings, or cables when they are pulled tight.

Front

What is the weight force?

Back

The force due to gravity acting on an object, calculated as mass times the acceleration due to gravity (W = mg).

Front

What is frictional force?

Back

The force that opposes the motion of an object in contact with a surface.

Front

What is spring force?

Back

The force exerted by a compressed or stretched spring, described by Hooke's Law (F = -kx).

Front

What is buoyant force?

Back

The upward force exerted by a fluid on an object submerged in it, counteracting the weight of the object.

Front

What is static friction?

Back

The frictional force that prevents two surfaces from sliding past each other.

Front

What is kinetic friction?

Back

The frictional force acting between moving surfaces.

Front

How do you calculate net force?

Back

Net force is the vector sum of all forces acting on an object.