Effects of Force
In this article we are going to learn about effects of force, explore the effects of a force on the size and shape of a body. Use a spring balance to measure force. Identify weight as a force. State that force is measured in newtons. Investigate the effect of force on size. Explore ways in which a force may change the motion of a body. Use F = ma to calculate the resultant force.
Definition of terms:
Force: is a push or a pull and is measured by an instrument called spring balance in newtons (N).
Weight: The weight of a body is the force of gravity on it and is measured in newtons (N).
Newton’s first law: states that a body stays at rest, or if moving it continues to move with uniform velocity, unless an external force makes it behave differently.
Newton’s second law: states that one newton is defined as the force which gives a mass of 1 kg an acceleration of 1 m/s2, e.g, 1 N = 1 kg m/s2. Newton’s second law can be written as F = ma.
Newton’s third law: states that if a body A exerts a force on body B, then body B exerts an equal but opposite force on body A. States that forces never occur singly but always in pairs as a result of the action between two bodies.
Vector quantity: is a quantity that has both magnitude (size) and direction. e.g force.
Scalar quantity: is a quantity that has magnitude only. e.g mass.
Measurement of force:
We measure weight of the object with spring balance.
Effects of a force:
A force acting on an object may cause the object to change size to change shape, to start moving, to stop moving, to accelerate or decelerate.