Raymond A.

Serway
Chris Vuille

Chapter Four
3.1 Force

3.1 Force

3.1.1 Force, Weight & Mass

3.1.2 Newtons Law

3.1.3 Normal Force, Forces in 2D
3.1.4 Applications of Newtonss Law taking into
consideration: Friction, Tension, equilibrium,
Spring & Hookes Law
3.1.5 Circular Motion: Uniform circular motion,
Centripetal acceleration, & Centripetal force.

3.1.1 Force, Weight & Mass

A force is a push or pull. An object at rest
needs a force to get it moving; a moving
object needs a force to change its
velocity.
Force is a vector it has magnitude and direction

3.1.1 Force, Weight & Mass

3.1.1 Force, Weight & Mass

Apparent weight:

Your perception of your weight is

based on the contact forces
between your body and your
surroundings.

If your surroundings are

accelerating, your apparent
weight may be more or less
than your actual weight.

3.1.1 Force, Weight & Mass

The weight of an object on the Earths
surface is the gravitational force exerted on it
by the Earth.

3.1.1 Force, Weight & Mass

Mass is the measure of how hard it is to change an
objects velocity.
Mass can also be thought of as a measure of the
quantity of matter in an object.

Newtons laws of motion

A

FLOOR

Newtons first law of motion (Law of Inertia)

an object at rest will remain at rest, or continues to
move with uniform velocity in a straight line unless
it is acted upon by a external forces

Fnett F 0
Newtons second law of motion
the rate of a change of momentum of an object with
time is directly proportional to the net force acting
on it

Fnett F ma
Newtons third law of motion
for every action, there is an equal and opposite
reaction; action and reaction forces act on different
objects

Ffloor Fball

An object sliding down an incline has three forces

acting on it:
-the normal force, gravity, and the frictional force.
The normal force is always perpendicular to the
surface.
The frictional force is parallel to the motion but
different direction.
The gravitational force points straight down.

Weight, w
Weight is the force exerted on that object by
gravity.
W = mg
Mass is measured in Kilogram (Kg)
Mass is not weight
Mass is a property of an object.
W

Normal Force, N
N
object
floor

A reaction force exerted

by surface
Cannot exist on its own
Always perpendicular to
the surface

Friction Force, ff
-Always oppose the motion direction
-Exist at rough surface
F
ff

Ff N
Coefficent
of friction

Normal Force

Tension, T

-Exist at rope, cable

-Direction, always away
from body
-Tension at smooth pulley
always similar,
hence T1 = T2

T1
T2

Applications of Newtons 2nd law of motion

From the Newtons second law of motion,

F F

nett

ma

Steps in applying the equation above to solve problems:

Identify the object whose motion is considered.
Determine the forces exerted on the object.
Draw a free body diagram (FBD) for each object.
According to the acceleration direction of the object,
write an equation for:
Along x-axis: Fx ma x
Along y-axis:
F ma

15

Applications of Newtons 2nd law of motion

F ma

It takes a force to change either the direction or the

speed of an object. More force means more
acceleration; the same force exerted on a more
massive object will yield less acceleration.

SI Unit for Force :

m kg m
kg 2 2
s
s

This combination of units is called a newton (N).

16

Free Body Diagram

1. Draw a sketch.

2. For one object, draw a free-body

diagram, showing all the forces
acting on the object. Label each
force. If there are multiple objects,
draw a separate diagram for each
one.
3. Resolve vectors into components.
4. Apply Newtons second law to each
component.
5. Solve.

EXCERCISE
Draw Free Body Diagram for figure below

a)

c)

b)
d)

Applications of Newtons 2nd law of motion

The net force in this case is:

275 N + 395 N 560 N = +110 N

and is directed along the + x axis of the coordinate system.
19

Applications of Newtons 2nd law of motion

If the mass of the car is 1850 kg then, by

Newtons second law, the acceleration is

F 110 N

0.059 m s
m

1850 kg

20

Applications of Newtons 2nd law of motion

The direction of force and acceleration vectors
can be taken into account by using x and y
components.

F ma

is equivalent to

may

max
21

Example

A man is stranded on a raft (total mass of man and raft is 1300kg). By paddling,
he causes an average force = 17N to be applied in the positive x-direction. The
wind also exert =15N at angle 67 from x-axis. Ignoring any resistance from the
water, find x and y component of the rafts acceleration.
22

Example
The net force on the raft can be calculated
in the following way:
Force

x component

y component

+17 N

0N

+(15 N) cos67

+(15 N) sin67

+23 N

+14 N
23

Acceleration in x-direction

ax

23 N
2

0.018 m s
1300 kg

Acceleration in y-direction

ay

14 N
2

0.011 m s
1300 kg

24

Example
A traffic light weighing 1.0 x 102 N hands from a vertical
cable tied to two other cables that are fastened to
support, as in Figure 1. The upper cables make angles of
37.0 and 53.0 with the horizontal. Find the tension in
each of three cables.
37.0o

53.0o

T1

T3

T1

T2

T2

37.00

T3

53.0 0

T3
Figure 1

W = mg

Solution
Fx = 0:
T1 cos 143 + T2 cos 53 = 0
Fy = 0

- 0.799T1 + 0.602T2 = 0

T3 - Fg= 0

T1= 0.753T2.(1)

T3 = Fg = 1.0 x 102 N

Fy = 0 :
Force

xcomponent

ycomponent

T1

T1 cos 143

T1 sin 143

T2

T2 cos 53.0

T2 sin 53.0

T3

- 100

T1 sin 143 + T2 sin 53 + (T3) = 0

0.602T1 + 0.799T2 = 100 .(2)
Substitute (1) into (2):
0.602(0.753 T2) + 0.799T2 = 100
Hence T1 = 60.1 N and
T2 = 79.9 N

Example:
Three wooden blocks connected by a rope of negligible mass are
being dragged by a horizontal force, F in figure below.

m1

T1

m2

T2

m3

Suppose that F = 1000 N, m1 = 3 kg, m2 = 15 kg and m3 = 30 kg.

Determine
a. the acceleration of blocks system.
b. the tension of the rope, T1 and T2.
Neglect the friction between the floor and the wooden blocks.

27

SOLUTION:
a. For the block, m1 = 3 kg

m1

T1

For the block, m2 = 15 kg

T1

m2

T2

For the block, m3 = 30 kg

T2

a
m3

F
F

F T1 m1a
x 1000 T1 3a
T1 3a 1000
x

F
F

T1 T2 m2 a

T1 T2 15a

T1 T2 15a

(1)

(2)

T2 m3 a

T2 30a

(3)
28

SOLUTION:

a. By substituting eq. (3) into eq. (2) thus

T1 45a 0
Eq. (1)(4) :

(4)

1000
a
48
a 20.8 m s 2

b. By substituting the value of acceleration into equations (4) and

(3), therefore

T1 936 N

T2 624 N
29

Example:
Two blocks, A of mass 10 kg and B of mass 30 kg, are side by side
and in contact with each another. They are pushed along a smooth
floor under the action of a constant force F of magnitude 200 N
applied to A as shown in figure below. Determine
a. the acceleration of the blocks,

b. the force exerted by A on B.

B

Solution :

mA 10 kg; mB 30 kg; F 200 N

a. Let the acceleration of the blocks is a. Therefore

F m

mB a
F mA mB a
x

200 10 30a
2
a 5.0 m s

30

SOLUTION:
b. For the object A,

FBA

FAB FBA 150 N

FAB

200 FBA 105.0

FBA 150 N

From the Newtons 3rd law, thus

OR
For the object B,

F FBA mAa

FAB mB a

FAB 305.0

FAB 150 N
31

EXAMPLES
Suppose a 2-kg object is pulled up an inclined plane with a force of 50 N. The
surface has a coefficient of friction of 0.2. Find the acceleration of the object.
a

50 N

FN

y
x

50 N
25 0
Object is along the incline, hence a = ax and ay = 0
Fx = max ;

Ff
25 o

50 + (-W sin 25) + (-Ff) = max

25o

50 (2)(9.8)sin 25 FN = (2)(a) .(1)

Fy = may = 0 ;
FN + (-W cos 25) = 0

50 (2)(9.8)sin 25 (0.2)(17.76) = (2)(a)

FN (2)(9.8)cos 25 = 0

a = 19.08 ms-2

FN = 17.76 N (2)

EXAMPLES
Two objects of masses m1 = 10 kg and m2 = 15 kg are connected
by a light string which passes over a smooth pulley as shown in
figure below. Calculate
a. the acceleration of the object of mass 10 kg.
b. the tension in the each string.
(Given g = 9.81 m s2)
m1
Solution :
a. For the object m1= 10 kg,
m2

T1

T1 m1 g m1a

where

T1 T2 T

T 10g 10a

W1 m1 g

(1)
33

SOLUTION:
a. For the object m2= 15 kg,

T2

F
F

m2 g T2 m2 a

15g T 15a
T 15g 15a
Eq. (1) + (2) :
5 g 59.81
a

25
25

a 1.96 m s 2
W2 m2 g
y

(2)

b. Substitute the value of acceleration into equation (1) thus

T 109.81 101.96

Therefore

T 118N
T1 T2 T 118 N

34

Example

A box weighing 50 N lies on a table top. A wire attached to

the box vertically upward over the frictionless pulley. A ball
is hanging on the other end of the wire with mass 3 kg.
Find
(a) the tension of the string
(b) the force exerted by the table on the box.

Solution:

a)T mg 0
T 3(9.8)
T 29.4N

FN

mg

b)T FN mg
29.4 FN 50

mg

FN 50 29.4
20.6 N

box

Exercise

A 3 kg rectangular block B is pulled along a rough horizontal

surface by a 16 N force inclined at
34 to the horizontal. The coefficient of kinetic friction
between the block and the surface is 0.22.
Compute
a) The frictional force exerted on block B
b) The acceleration of block B
Ans: 4.51 N, 2.93 m s-2

Exercise..

A horizontal force of 250N is required to cause a 10 kg

block to slide up a 35 inclined plane with an
acceleration of 30 cm/s2. Find
i) the normal force acting on the block
(3 marks)
ii) the friction force on the block
(2 marks)
iii) the coefficient of friction
(2 marks)
Ans: 223.75 N, 145.52 N, 0.65

Exercise
Figure 4-32

In Figure 4-32, 2 boxes are

connected by a cord running
over a frictionless pulley.
The coefficient of kinetic
friction between the box A
and the table is 0.2. Ignore
the mass of the cord and
the pulley. Find the
acceleration of the system
and tension of the cord

Newtons Third Law of Motion

Whenever one body exerts a force on a
second body, the second body exerts an
oppositely directed force of equal magnitude on
the first body.
For every action (force) there is an equal but
opposite reaction

47

Newtons Third Law of Motion

Whenever one object exerts a force on a second object,
the second exerts an equal force in the opposite
direction on the first.

48

Newtons Third Law of Motion

Forces always come in pairs, acting on different
objects:

If object 1 exerts a force F on object 2, then object 2

exerts a force F on object 1.

These forces are called action-reaction pairs.

49

Applications of Newtons Laws

3.1.4 Applications of Newtonss Law taking into consideration:

Friction, Tension, equilibrium, Spring & Hookes Law

Frictional Forces
Strings and Springs
Translational Equilibrium
Connected Objects
Circular Motion

Frictional Forces
Friction has its basis in surfaces that are not completely smooth:

6-1 Frictional
Frictional Forces
Forces
Kinetic friction: the friction experienced by surfaces sliding against one another
The static frictional force depends on the normal force:
(6-1)

The constant

is called the coefficient of kinetic friction.

6-1 Frictional
Frictional Forces
Forces

6-1 Frictional
Frictional Forces
Forces

The kinetic frictional force is also independent of the relative

speed of the surfaces, and of their area of contact.

Frictional Forces
The static frictional force keeps an object from starting to move when a force is
applied. The static frictional force has a maximum value, but may take on any value
from zero to the maximum, depending on what is needed to keep the sum of
forces zero.

Frictional Forces

(6-2)
where

(6-3)

The static frictional force is also independent of the area of contact and the
relative speed of the surfaces.

Strings & Springs

When you pull on a string or rope, it becomes taut. We say that there is
tension in the string.

Strings & Springs

The tension in a real rope will vary along its length, due to the weight of the
rope.

Here, we will assume that all ropes,

strings, wires, etc. are massless unless
otherwise stated.

Strings & Springs

An ideal pulley is one that simply changes the direction of the tension:

Strings & Springs

Hookes law for springs states that the force
increases with the amount the spring is
stretched or compressed:

The constant

k is called the spring constant.

Translational Equilibrium

When an object is in translational equilibrium, the net force on it is zero:

(6-5)

This allows the calculation of unknown forces.

Translational Equilibrium

Connected Objects
When forces are exerted on connected objects, their accelerations are
the same.
If there are two objects connected by a string, and we know the force
and the masses, we can find the acceleration and the tension:

Connected Objects
We treat each box as a separate system:

6-4 Connected
Connected Objects
Objects
If there is a pulley, it is easiest to have the coordinate system follow the string:

Circular
Motion
3.1.5 Circular
Motion
Uniform Circular Motion

Centripetal Acceleration

Centripetal Force

Uniform Circular Motion

An object moving in a circle must
have a force acting on it; otherwise
it would move in a straight line.
Uniform circular motion is the motion
of an object traveling at a constant
(uniform). speed on a circular path.
Period T is the time required to travel
once around the circle i.e to make one
complete revolution.

2r
v
T

Example

The wheel of a car has a radius of r = 0.29m and

is being rotated at 830 revolutions per minute
(rpm) on a tire-balancing machine. Determine the
speed (in m/s) at which the outer edge of the
wheel is moving.
The speed v can be obtained directly from
but first the period T is needed. It must be
expressed in seconds.
2 r
v
T

Solutions
830 revolutions in one minute

1
3
1.2 10 min/ revolution
830 revolutions / min
T= 1.2 X 10-3 min, which corresponds to 0.072s

2r 2 (0.29m)
v

25m / s
T
0.072s

Uniform circular motion

emphasizes that
1. The speed, or the
magnitude of the velocity
vector, is constant.
2. Direction of the vector is
not constant.
3. Change in direction,
means; acceleration

4. Centripetal acceleration ,
it points toward the center of
the circle.

Centripetal Acceleration
Magnitude ac of the centripetal acceleration
depends on the speed v of the object and the
radius r of the circular path. ac=v2/r

v in velocity divided by the elapsed time

or a = v / t
Sector of the circle COP.

t is very small, the arc

length OP is approximately
a straight line whose length
is the distance v
traveled
by the object.


COP is an isosceles triangle. Both
triangles have equal apex angles .

v vt

v
r

v / t
ac=v2/r
The direction is toward the center of the
circle.

Centripetal Force
Some algebra gives us the magnitude of the acceleration,
and therefore the force, required to keep an object of
mass m moving in a circle of radius r.
The magnitude of the force is given by:

Circular
Motion
Circular
Motion
This force may be provided by the tension in a string, the normal force, or friction,
among others.

Example:
The model airplane has a mass of 0.90 kg and
moves at a constant speed on a circle that is
parallel to the ground. The path of the airplane
and its guideline lie in the same horizontal plane,
because the weight of the plane is balanced by
the lift generated by its wings. Find the tension T
in the guideline(length=17m) for speeds of 19 and
38m/s.

Solutions:

Speed =19m/s
2

(0.90kg)(19m / s)
T
19 N
17m
Speed =38m/s

(0.90kg)(38m / s) 2
T
76 N
17m

i luv physics