Exploring Forces

A force can change the motion of an object, i.e. a force can make a stationary body move; it can make a moving object stop; it can increase or decrease the speed of the moving body. 

Forces in the same direction

The Forces which are applied to an object in the same direction always get added to one another. If two forces are acting on an object in the same direction then the net force is equal to the sum of the two forces on it. In this case, it always results in a stronger force than either of the individual forces alone.

Example: Two people pushing a heavy car or any heavy box in the same direction.

When a heavy good is transported from one place to another many people apply forces in the same direction to move the box.

Forces in the opposite direction

If the two forces are acting in opposite directions on an object, the net force acting on it is always the difference between the two forces and acting in the direction of the force that has high magnitude.

Examples: Two people pushing a heavy load in the opposite direction. The net force on an object is zero if the two forces acting on it in opposite directions are equal in magnitude and if any unequal forces are applied then the box moves in a direction in which greater force was applied.

People playing in the tug of war pull the rope on opposite sides and whichever team pulls it with a greater force wins.

Magnitude and Direction of a Force

A force could be higher or smaller than another depending upon the strength of magnitude. To completely define a force, we have to also specify the direction in which it acts on the body. If the direction or the magnitude of the applied force changes, its effect also changes accordingly.

Effect of Force

A Force can Change the State of Motion

A change in either the speed of an object, or in the direction of motion, or both, is described as a change in its state of motion.

Example: A fielder catches a cricket ball coming to him with great speed and brings it to rest. A batsman hits the ball and changes its direction of motion.

A Force can Change the Shape of an Object

The shape of an object can be changed using force. We use it to obtain the required shape of the object in some cases.

Example: Upon Pressing an inflated balloon by two hands compresses the balloon. While making the dough we change the shape of the dough as required.

A force is a push or pull upon a body of any mass resulting from the body’s interaction with another body. Whenever there is an interaction between two body, there is a force upon each of the bodies. Forces only exist as a result of an interaction. When an object is either pushed or pulled is known as a force. A force due to an action-generated motion in an object.

Force also has direction; which means that it is a vector quantity if the magnitude or direction changes, it directly affects the force. If the direction of force and the direction of moving object is opposite then it decreases the force. If an object is in motion, then an external force may change, the state or the direction of motion of that object. The state of motion in an object is usually explained by its speed and direction of motions.

What is Force?

Force can be defined as a push or a pull on an object of any mass and on any surface. For any force applied there is a change in motion, state, shape, size, etc. of an object. The force has both magnitude and direction, as it is a vector quantity. It can be measured using a spring balance by placing the object at its hook end.

Forces are either long-range or short-range order. Electrostatic forces are long-range forces as well as the gravitational force is also long-range force.

The state of ‘rest’ of an object is considered to be when object or body has zero speed, as −

1. An object cannot move by itself.

2. An object cannot change its speed by itself.

3. An object cannot change its direction by itself.

4. An object cannot change by itself.

5. A force may make an object move from rest.

6. A force may change the speed of a moving object.

7. A force may change the direction of a moving object.

8. A force may change the shape of an object.