YEAR 11 PHYSICS

Module 2 – Dynamics
Forces
IQ1: How are forces produced between objects and what effects
do forces produce?
• using Newton’s Laws of Motion, describe static and dynamic interactions
between two or more objects and the changes that result from:
o a contact force
o a force mediated by fields
• explore the concept of net force and equilibrium in one-dimensional and simple
two-dimensional contexts using:
o algebraic addition
o vector addition
o vector addition by resolution into components
• solve problems or make quantitative predictions about resultant and component
forces by applying the following relationships:
𝐹Ԧ AB = −𝐹ԦBA
𝐹𝑥 = 𝐹cos𝜃, 𝐹𝑦 = 𝐹sin𝜃
• conduct a practical investigation to explain and predict the motion of objects on
inclined planes
Forces
▪ A force is just a push or pull.
• an object’s weight
• tension in a rope
• a left hook to the face
• friction
• attraction between an electron and proton
▪ Bodies don’t have to be in contact to
exert forces on each other, e.g., gravity.
Forces
◼ Contact Forces act on body by touching it
– Frictional Force
– Tensional Force
– Normal Force
– Air Resistance Applied Force
– Spring Force

◼ Long Range Forces act at a distance, without contact.

– Gravitational Force
– Electromagnetic Force
– Strong Nuclear Force
– Weak Nuclear Force
 Difference between Force and Pressure
◼ Pressure = Force/Area
◼ Pressure is directly proportional to force but is not
the same thing as force
– 10 N of force exerted by pushing on someone with the
palm of your hand
– 10 N of force exerted by pushing on someone with a pin

F F Which has the smaller surface

P= P = area -- point of pin or palm of
A A hand?

Pin has smaller area and

larger pressure
CD p12
Pressure Units SI: N/m2 = Pascal = Pa

Named for Blaise Pascal (1623 – 1662)

French mathematician & physicist

equal weights
 What external forces are acting on this
car which is driving along?
This force is always This acts against the car, as
present. It goes towards it moves forward and is
the centre of the earth, so acting against the
will always be pointing from propulsion.
the top of the object

This is the most powerful This force is only present

force, this should be your where the car is in contact
largest arrow, it should be with the floor, it acts against
pointing in the direction the Normal the propulsion.
car is going … Reaction
 Representing Forces...
Forces are vectors
▪ Forces are drawn as arrows (vectors)
▪ forces add like vectors.
▪ the sum of all the forces is called the net
force.
A picture of a body with arrows drawn
representing all the forces acting upon it is
called a FREE BODY DIAGRAM.
Free Body Diagram
◼ Diagram showing all forces acting on an object.
◼ Shows object as a dot usually.
◼ What forces are acting on a “little, red wagon”
as it is being pulled at a constant velocity?

Wagon
FNormal
Fapplied
Ffriction
Fw or Fg
Free Body Diagram
◼ What forces are acting on a steel anvil as it
falls through the air? (not at Terminal velocity)

Anvil

Fdrag

Fw or Fg
Free Body Diagram
◼ What forces are acting on an airplane in level
flight, at a constant velocity?

Airplane
Flift
Fdrag

Fthrust

Fw or Fg
Free Body Diagram
◼ What forces are acting on a person in an
elevator that is accelerating upward?

Elevator Fapplied (causing acceleration)

FNormal

Fw or Fg
What is Net Force?
F1
Net force (resultant
force) is the vector sum
F2 of all the forces, e.g.,
F3 the “net effect.”

Fnet
Net Force
 4N
Fnet = 0

4N

Fnet = 1
3N 4N
CD p16
4N 4N
3N
Fnet = 5N 3N Fnet = 5N

4N 2N
4N
2N 5N
Fnet = 5N
Fnet = 5N 5N
CD p16
Newton’s 3 Laws of Motion

1. Inertia: “An object in motion tends to stay in

motion; an object at rest tends to stay at
rest.” (unless some force acts upon the
object)
2. Fnet = ma
3. Action – Reaction: “For every action there is
an equal but opposite reaction.” Also, forces
comes in pairs.
 1st Law: Fnet = F = 0 (vectors)
◼ If Net force acting on object is zero….forces are said to
“balanced” or in equilibrium.
◼ In this case, object will not experience a change in velocity
(will have a zero acceleration).
◼ Also, object could either be moving (with a constant
velocity), or stationary.
◼ Vector diagram for all forces must be closed (no resultant).
◼ F1 + F2 + ….. + Fn = 0 (in the x-direction).
◼ F1 + F2 + ….. + Fn = 0 (in the y-direction).
◼ Also for rotational motion, Στ = 0 (where τ is the sum of
torques).
 Mass and Inertia
◼ Mass is the “origin” of inertia.
◼ A moving body will continue moving in the same
direction with the same speed until some net force
acts on it.
◼ If an object has a large mass, then it will have a
large inertia.
◼ A body at rest will remain at rest unless a net force
acts on it.
◼ If an object has a small mass, then it will have a
small inertia.
◼ It takes a net force to change a body’s velocity.
Inertia Example 1
An astronaut in
outer space will
continue drifting
in the same
direction at the
same speed
indefinitely, until
acted upon by an
outside force.
Inertia Example 2
If you’re driving at 65 mph and have an accident,
your car may come to a stop in an instant, while
your body is still moving at 65 mph. Without a
seatbelt, your inertia could carry you through the
windshield.
Newton’s 1st Law in action
Example 1

A mass of 32 kg hangs on a string which is pulled to the side by

force F until the string makes an angle of 30° to the vertical.
a) What is the force pulling the supporting string to the side?
F = 181 N
a) What is the tension in the rope?
T = 362 N
 Example 2
T2cos30 - T1cos30 = 0 (in the x-direction)
T1sin30 + T2sin30 - 2g = 0 (in the y-direction)

Answer: +Y
a) T1 = T2 = 19.6 N
b) T1 = T2 = 56.4 N +X

1. Calculate the tension in each string. The mass of

the sign is 2kg and the angles formed between
each string and the sign are 300.
2. If the angles were 10o, what is the tension and
how does it compare with the answer to a)?
 Example 3
A block of mass m = 2kg is suspended by two ropes as
shown below. What are the tensions in each rope ?

60o 30o
T1 T2
m

T2cos30 - T1cos60 = 0 (in the x-direction) +Y

T1sin60 + T2sin30 - mg = 0 (in the y-direction)
+X
T2 = 9.8N
T1 = 17.0N
 Example 4 T1 T2

X and Y are connected by separate strings over two

pulleys to a 15 kg mass as shown in the diagram. The
system of three masses is in static equilibrium. Assuming
the pulleys in this system are frictionless and weightless
find values for X and Y.
T2cos45 - T1cos25 = 0 T2 = 141.8 N, Y = 14.5 kg

T2sin45 + T1sin25 - 15g = 0 T1 = 110.6 N, X = 11.3 kg

Example 5
Find the weight of the hanging body.

30 – FT2cos40 = 0

FT2sin40 - Fw = 0

FT2 = 39 N

Fw = 25 N
 Example 6

A 40 kg mass is suspended by two ropes fixed to a wall

and a ceiling as shown in the diagram. By drawing an
appropriate vector diagram, find the tensions T1 and T2 in
the ropes.
T2cos60 - T1sin70 = 0 T1 = 305 N
T2sin60 - T1cos70 - 40g = 0 T2 = 573 N
Example 7
The system in the figure below is in static equilibrium with the
string in the center exactly horizontal. Find (a) tension T1, (b)
tension T2, (c) tension T3 and (d) angle θ (Hint: use two free body
diagrams for your analysis).
Example 7
Example 8

Find the tension in all the ropes.

(Hint: use three free body diagrams
for your analysis).
 2nd Law: Fnet = F = ma
◼ F1 + F2 + ….. + Fn = max (in the x-direction).
◼ F1 + F2 + ….. + Fn = may (in the y-direction).
◼ The acceleration an object experiences is directly
proportional to the net force acting on it (a ∝ Fnet) and is
1
inversely proportional to the mass of the object (a ∝ ).
𝑚
◼ For a given mass, if Fnet doubles, triples, etc. in size, so
does a.
◼ For a given Fnet if m doubles, a is cut in half.
◼ Fnet and a are vectors and always point in the same
direction.
◼ Also for rotational motion, Στ = Iα (where τ is the sum of
torques, I is the moment of inertia and α is the angular
acceleration).
 Units

Fnet = m a

1N = 1 kg m/s 2

The SI unit of force is the Newton.

A Newton feels like about a 100 gram weight.
Question 1
A jet thruster applies a force of 200,000N at maximum
burn. If the jet has a mass of 15,500kg what is the
acceleration of the jet? How long will it take to increase
speed from 100 m/s to 150 m/s?

a ~ 12.9 m/s2 and t ~ 3.9 s

Question 2
Given the free body diagram below find:
a) Fnet in the X and Y direction
b) Acceleration in the X and Y direction
c) Resultant force and acceleration

15 N 32 N

10 N
2 kg Fnet = 27 N in the X direction
Fnet = - 19.6 N in the Y direction
ax = 13.5 m/s2
ay = g = - 9.8 m/s2
FR = 33.4 N, 126 (bearing)
aR = 16.7 m/s2
Question 3
An object has mass 10kg and is subjected to the forces shown in the
free body diagram below. Find the resultant force and the
acceleration of the object.
B
Bx= -50Cos80°
50N A
= -8.7N 150N
By= 50Sin80° 80 ° 20 °
= 49.2N
Ax=150Cos20° Ay=150Sin20°
Rx=141N + -8.7N 75N =141N =51.3N
Ry=51.3N + 49.2N +-75N
Cx=0N
Rx2 + Ry2 = R2 Cy=-75N a= Fnet/m
C
= 134.7/10
R2=(132.3N)2 + (25.5N)2 R=134.7N, 079 ° =13.5m/s2 , 079 °
Weight
◼ The quantity of matter in an object is its
mass.
◼ Its weight however is given by = mass 
acceleration due to gravity.
mass

◼ This follows directly from F = m a.

weight
◼ Weight is the force of gravity on a body.
◼ Near the surface of the Earth,
g = 9.8 m/s2.
Weight
Why, exactly, do heavier and lighter objects fall with the
same acceleration???? Isn’t gravity pulling down on the
heavier object more?? Shouldn’t it accelerate faster as a
result of the larger force?
 Newton’s 3rd Law
If object 1 and object 2 interact, the force
exerted by object 1 on object 2 is equal in
magnitude but opposite in direction to the
force exerted by object 2 on object 1

 
Fon A = − Fon B

Equivalent to saying a single isolated force cannot exist

 Newton’s 3rd Law

◼ F12 may be called the

action force and F21
the reaction force
– Actually, either force
can be the action or the
reaction force
◼ The action and
reaction forces act on
different objects
Newton’s 3rd Law
 Question

A stonemason drags a marble block across a floor by pulling on

a rope attached to the block. The block is not necessarily in
equilibrium. How are the various forces related? What are the
action–reaction pairs?
 Newton’s 3rd Law
An apple sits at rest on a table, in equilibrium. What forces act on the apple?
What is the reaction force to each of the forces acting on the apple? What
are the action–reaction pairs?

The forces acting on the apple. The action–reaction pair for the
interaction between the apple and
the earth.

The two forces in an action–reaction pair always act on different bodies.

 Newton’s 3rd Law
An apple sits at rest on a table, in equilibrium. What forces act on the apple?
What is the reaction force to each of the forces acting on the apple? What
are the action–reaction pairs?

The action–reaction pair for the We eliminate one of the forces

interaction between the apple acting on the apple.
and the table.
 Newton’s 3rd Law
An apple sits at rest on a table, in equilibrium. What forces act on the apple?
What is the reaction force to each of the forces acting on the apple? What
are the action–reaction pairs?
If we suddenly yank the table
out from under the apple, the
forces Fapple on table and Ftable on
apple suddenly become zero, but
Fapple on earth and Fearth on apple are
unchanged (the gravitational
interaction is still present).
Because Ftable on apple is now
zero, it can’t be the negative of
the nonzero Fearth on apple, and
these two forces can’t be an
action–reaction pair. The two
forces in an action–reaction pair
never act on the same body.
 Newton’s 3rd Law

a=m
The products are the same,
since the forces are the same.

m a

Earth’s
Apple’s Earth Pulls Apple pulls
big
little down up on earth
mass
mass On apple

Apple’s big Earth’s little Forces are equal, but opposite

acceleration acceleration
 Newton’s 3rd Law

Horse and Cart Problem

A horse is urged to pull a cart. The horse refuses to try, citing Newton’s third
law as his defence. “The pull of me on the cart is equal but opposite to the
pull of the cart on me. If I can never exert a greater force (action and
reaction are always equal) on the cart than it exerts on me, how can I ever
set the cart moving?”, asks the horse.
How would you reply?
 RC

TCH THC

V Reaction R

f H
WC
Action
WH
Reaction ‘RC’ on the cart offered by the ground must be equal and opposite to
weight of the cart ‘WC’.
Reaction pull of the cart on the horse ‘TCH’ must be equal and opposite to forward
pull of the horse on the cart ‘THC’. This is an internal force and will not cause the
system to accelerate.
If the horse pushes the ground in a slanting manner (Action), the Reaction offered
by the ground is resolved into Vertical and Horizontal components.
The Vertical component ‘V’ must be equal and opposite to weight of the horse ‘WH’.
If the Horizontal component ‘H’ is greater than the Friction ‘f’, then the horse-cart
system will move forward with acceleration.
Action will cause some infinitesimal rotation/acceleration to the earth.
Newton’s 3rd Law (Tension)

• Tension is a force that pulls things apart.

• Tension is an electromagnetic force.
• Tension is the force that pulls in BOTH
directions
Newton’s 3rd Law (Tension)
A weight is hung from a rope (over a pulley) and is attached to one side
of a spring. The other side of the spring is attached to a wall using a
second rope. In Case 2, instead of being attached to a wall, the second
rope is attached to a second identical weight.

down

wall Case 1 Case 2

In which case is the spring stretched the most?

1. Case 1
2. Case 2
3. Same in both cases
 down

In which case is the spring stretched the most?

1. Case 1
2. Case 2 wall Case 1
3. Same in both cases correct

The net force on the spring is zero in

each case. In both cases the weight on the
right exerts the same force W. So there
must be an equal force on the left side of Case 2
each spring
Tension exerted on the string attached to
the wall is equal to the downward force of the
weight. When the wall is replaced by a weight
of equal mass, then like the wall it exerts
tension on the string that is equal to the
downward force of the opposite weight.
 Compare the tension in the left and right cases.

1. The left is higher.

2. The right is higher since the mass is double.
3. They are the same.
Compare the tension in the left and right cases.