TECHNICIAN SCIENCE

TOPIC 2:
FORCES

UNDERSTANDING OF
FORCE

Define force, resolution of force, and resultant of force

Introduce the effect of equilibrium force on object
Define Newtons Law
Measure force in Newton
Explain equilibrium force
Build vector diagram to illustrate force
Using vector diagram to calculate

resultant of force
resolution of force
Define force moment
Solve problem related to force moment
Solve problem related to force
Determine force in mechanical system

CONCEPTUAL MAP
Forces

weight

Newtons Law

Force moment

Force in equilibrium
Addition of forces

Resultant forces

Resolution of forces

INTRODUCTION

Definition of FORCE
Force is the action of pushing or pulling on an objects
The effect of force on an object
A stationary object to move
A moving object to change its speed
A moving object to change its direction of motion
An object to change in size and shape

INTRODUCTION

Application of force
Using in mechanical system
Transferred using mechanical instrument, eg: gear, pulley, screw
and piston.

How to measure the force?

using a spring balancing together with Newton scale (N).

NEWTONS LAW

The SI unit of force is Newton (N) or kgms-2

Force (N)= mass (kg) x gravity (ms-2)
F=mg
Where,

F = Force
m = mass
g = gravity (9.81ms-2)

THE TYPES OF FORCES

The balance force is:

When two or more external forces acting on a body produce no net
force,
Pulling forces = pushing forces

The following are some of the situation where forces are balanced on
a body :

a pile of book resting on a hard surface

a car moving at constant velocity along a straight road
an airplane is flying horizontally at a constant height with a
constant
velocity
10 N
10 N
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THE TYPE OF FORCES

Unbalanced force is :
When two or more forces acting on a body are not balanced, there
must be a net force on it. This net force is known as the
unbalanced force or the resultant force.

Pulling forces pushing forces

The effects of unbalanced forces acting on an object are shown in

the following examples

Golfer hits a stationary golf ball

A footballer kicks a fast moving ball towards him
When the engine of a moving car is shut down

8N

12 N

Exercise 1
1)
a)

Determine the direction of situations below and give the explanation.

6N

15 N

b)

c)

4N
8N

10 N

4N
4N

2) A certain force is applied to a 2.0 kg mass. The mass is accelerated at

1.5 ms-2. if the same force is applied to a 5.0 kg mass, what is the
acceleration og the mass?
3) A car of mass 700 kg accelerates from rest to 105 km h-1 in 10 s. what
is the accelerating force developed by the car engine?

5N

4) A toy car of mass 800 g is pulled along a level runway with a constant
speed by a force of 2 N.
a) what is the friction on the toy car?
b) when the force is increased to 6 N, what is
i) the unbalanced force acting on it?
ii) the acceleration of the toy car?

Scalar Quantities & Vector Quantities

Scalar quantities are physical quantities that have magnitude only

Vector quantities physical quantities that have magnitude and
direction

Table 1.3 shows a list of some examples of scalar and vector quantities
Scalar quantities

Vector quantities

Length

Work

Displacement

Speed

Temperature

Velocity

Mass

Density

Acceleration

Time

Energy

weight

Area

Volume

Force

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WEIGHT & MASS

The weight of an object is defined as the gravitational force acting on the

object.
Weight (N) = mass (kg) x gravity (ms-2)
W = mg
where,

W = weight, m = mass, g = gravitational field (9.81ms-2)

The SI unit for weight is Newton (N) and it is a vector quantity

The mass of an object is a measure of its inertia

Mass is constant quantity and it is a scalar quantity. It is the same

irrespective of where the object is.

Mass (kg) weight (N)

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WEIGHT & MASS

The difference between weight and mass is summarized in below

table

Weight

Mass

Dependent on the acceleration

due to gravity

Is a constant quantity

Is a vector quantity

Is a scalar quantity

Is measured in Newton

Is measured in kilograms

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EXERCISE 2

An astronaut has mass of 70 kg. what is his weight if

(a) he is on the surface of the Earth where the gravitational field strength
is 9.8 N kg-1?
(b) he is on the surface of the moon where the gravitational field strength
is 1/6 of that on the surface of the Earth?

A spacecraft of mass 800 kg is orbiting above the Earths surface at a height

where its gravitational field strength is 2.4 N kg-1.
(a) what is meant by gravitational field strength at a point in the
gravitational field?
(b) Calculate the gravitational force experienced by the spacecraft

A rock has a mass of 20.0 kg and weight of 90.0 N on the surface of a planet.
(a) What is the gravitational field strength on the surface of the planet?
(b) what are the mass and the weight of the rock on the surface of the
Earth where its gravitational field strength is 9.8 N kg-1?
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PROPERTIES OF VECTOR

Showed by symbol and arrow

magnitude
direction

Write as vector AB

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VECTOR OF FORCES

Showed by arrow.
The length of this diagonal represents the magnitude resultant force,
F and its direction.

magnitude
direction
F = 15 N
F = 30 N
30
Vertical vector F

Force at 30
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FORCES IN EQUILIBRIUM

An object at rest is in equilibrium. This is because the forces

acting on it are balanced and the resultant force is zero.
Fy 1

Horizontal force
Therefore
Fx 2

Fx 1
Fy 2

Vertical force
Therefore

Fx1 = Fx2
Fx1 Fx2 = 0
Fy1 = Fy2
Fy1 Fy2 = 0

Since the resultant force on an object in equilibrium is zero, if the forces

are resolved into horizontal and vertical components, then
(a) The sum of all the horizontal components of the forces = 0
(b) The sum of all the vertical components of the forces = 0
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ADDITION FORCES :
RESULTANT FORCES

A resultant force is a single force that represents the combined

effect of two or more forces with magnitude and direction

Vertical force = The forces acting at y-axial

Horizontal force = The forces acting at x-axial

The effects of force are depends on:

1.
2.

The magnitude the value of forces in Newtons unit

The directions left, right, up and down
C
AB + BC = AC
AC is resultant force
A

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ADDITION FORCES:
RESOLUTION FORCE
A resolution forces is a single force that can be resolved into
two perpendicular components

Fy

Figure shows a force F is resolved into two

perpendicular components Fx and Fy.

Fx

With that,
Fx = F cos
Fy = F cos

Fx is the Vertical component of force whereas Fy is the Horizontal

component of force
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PROBLEM SOLVING

Example 1:
The table being pulled by two forces with the magnitude of 6N and 8N
respectively. The angle between the two forces is 60
Solution
Method 1 : can be determined by using the parallelogram of
forces
Method 2 : can be resolved into two perpendicular
components (using formula)

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Method 1 : Parallelogram

Steps:

Choose the scale . Eg: 1 cm = 1m.

Using the graph paper and set the point
Draw the forces F1 and F2 from a point with an angle of with
each other.
F1

F2

Draw another two lines to complete the parallelogram

Draw the diagonal of the parallelogram. The length of this
diagonal represents the magnitude resultant force, F and its
direction, can be determined by measuring the angle between
the diagonal with either one side of the parallelogram
F1

F2

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Method 1 : Parallelogram

Steps:
6.0 N
Fx = ______ N
Fy = ______ N

60
8.0 N

Fx and Fy are the vertical and horizontal components of the force :

Magnitude of Fx = 6.0 cos 60 = 3.0 N
Magnitude of Fy = 8.0 sin 60 = 7.0 N
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METHOD 2 : FORMULA
Using formula :

= FY 2 + FX 2

= 62 + 8 2
= 36 + 64
= 100
= 10 m
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Exercise 3
1.

Who will win?

15 N

45 N
2.

20 N

Calculate the total net force between the following interaction:

a)

c)

25 N
10 N
b)

5N

30 N

8N

32 N

25 N

d)

45 N
25 N

55 N

25 N
25 N

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THE TOTAL OF FORCE

1.

The Total of force between two or more interaction

Example 1:
Total net force

F1
F2

F1

F = F1 + F 2

Total net force

F2
F3

F = (F2 + F3 ) - F1

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THE TOTAL OF FORCE

1.

The Total of force between two or more interaction

Example 2:
Total net force
15 N

5N
10 N

= ( 5 + 10 ) 15 N
= 0 (equilibrium state)

Total net force

24 N

28 N

= 28 24 N
= 4 N (move to right side)

25

THE TOTAL OF FORCE

2.

The total of force acting at on angle

10 N
FX
30

Method 2: Scale drawing :

Using paper graph to get accurate reading / value
Scale 1cm = 1N
Use the protractor to measure the angle of 30

10 cm

Fx = _________ cm
= _________ N

30
Fx

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THE TOTAL OF FORCE

2. The total of force acting at on angle

Example 3:

Method 1 : Analysis
10 N
FX
30

FX

= 10 cos
= 10 cos 30
= 8.67 N

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THE TOTAL OF FORCE

The total of force acting at on angle

2.

Example 4
Method 1: Analysis
10 N
35
40

FX
12 N

Fx

= FX1 + FX2

FX1

= 10 cos 35 = 8.19 N

Fx2

= 12 cos 40 = 9.19 N

Fx

= 8.19 + 9.19
= 17.38 N
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THE TOTAL OF FORCE

2.

The total of force acting at on angle

Method 2: Scale drawing
10 N

Using paper graph to get accurate reading/value

Scale 1cm = 1N

35

Use the protractor to measure the angle of 35

40

FX
12 N

40

10 cm

12 cm

Fx = _________ cm
= _________ N

35
Fx

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MOMENT

MOMENT = Force X Perpendicular distance (arm)

=FXd
= (Newton) x (meter)
= Nm
SI unit Nm
Force (F)
Distance (d)

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MOMENT OF FORCES

For an object to be in static equilibrium ,

1.

the sum of the forces must be zero, but also the sum of the torques (moments) about any point. For a twodimensional situation with horizontal and vertical forces, the sum of the forces requirement is two equations:

The total of anti-clockwise moment = the total of clockwise moment

2. The total of normal force = the total of interaction force

F1

F2

F1 d1 = F2 d2 Nm
d1 m

d2 m
RF

F1 + F2 = RF N

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MOMENT OF FORCES
For an object to be in static equilibrium,
The centre of gravity can be determine using moment resultant
method
Resultant moment = the total of force moment

Given, the centre of gravity at x is A

F1

x1

F2

x2

F3

Then, label the reference point of moment at A

Resultant moment = ( F1 + F2 + F3 ) x
B The total of force moment = F (0) + F (x ) + F (x + x )
1
2
1
3
1
2

So, ( F1 + F2 + F3 ) x = F1 (0) + F2 (x1) + F3 (x1 + x2)

X=

F1 (0) + F2 (X1) + F3 (X1 + X2)

( F 1 + F2 + F 3 )

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MOMENT OF FORCES

Example 5:
Determine the centre of gravity for force action, so that the bar
remains in horizontal equilibrium
20 N
4m
A

50 N
B

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MOMENT OF FORCES

Example 5 :
Solution
Method 2:

Method 1:

20 ( 0 ) + 50 ( 4 )

Given the centre of gravity at x form A is,

The total of anti-clockwise moment = the
total of clockwise moment
20 ( x )

= 50 ( 4 - x )

20 ( x )

= 200 50 x

20 x + 50 x = 200 x
70 x

= 200

x =

( 20 + 50 )
200
70

x = 2.86 m

x = 2.86 m
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MOMENT OF FORCES

Example 6:

Determine the centre of gravity for force action, so that the bar
remains in horizontal equilibrium

50 N

25 N
1m

4m

100 N
Q

35

MOMENT OF FORCES
Example 5 :

Solution
Method 2:

Method 1:

Given the centre of gravity at x

form P is,

x =

50 ( 0 ) + 25 ( 1 ) + 100 ( 5 )
50 + 25 + 100
525

The total of anti-clockwise moment =

the total of clockwise moment

50 x + 25 ( x - 1 )

= 3.00 m

50 x

= 100 ( 5 - x )

175

+ 25 x - 25 = 500 100 x
175 x

= 525

x = 3.00 m

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EXERCISE 4
1.

Determine the centre of gravity for force action, so that the bar
remains in horizontal equilibrium

a)

c)
5N

8N

15 N

1m 1m

6m

2m
10 N 15 N 12 N

8m

b)
8N

15 N

12 N

10 N

d)
16 N

55 N

25 N
45

1m

4m

2m

12 m

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EXERCISE 5
1.

Find the interaction for both of following points, RA and RB :

a)
0.5m

b)

RA

1m

RA

0.5m

1m

2N

3N

1kg

1kg
1m

RB

1m

1m

2kg

RB

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THE END