5.1 Forces
Forces Force: - a push or pull - an action that has the ability to change motion Forces can: - increase or decrease the speed of a moving object - change the direction of an object
How Forces Act Direct contact Action at a distance
Other Direct Contact Forces Tension: a pulling force that acts in a rope, string, etc. Spring Forces Extension: a stretch, or increase in size Compression: a squeeze, or decrease in size
Gravity Gravity: the force that causes all masses to attract one another On earth: g = 9.8 N/kg
Mass vs. Weight Mass Weight Mass: a measure of the amount of matter in an object Mass DOES NOT CHANGE Units: grams (g) or kilograms (kg) Weight: a measure of gravitational force Weight CHANGES depending on location Units: Newtons (N) or pounds (lbs)
A 10 kg rock has the same mass everywhere, but different weights. Mass vs. Weight A 10 kg rock has the same mass everywhere, but different weights.
Weight = mass x strength of gravity Calculating Weight Weight = mass x strength of gravity W = m x g On Earth: g = 9.8 N/kg What is g on the moon?
Force Vectors Arrow points in the direction of the force. Length shows the strength of the force. INCLUDE A SCALE.