Chapter 4- Forces and Motion

Think about the following questions:

What is this object? Where is it? Why does it look
like that? Erupting Volcano!!

IO is a moon of Jupiter
Competing forces between Jupiter and the
other Galilean moons cause the center of Io
compress and melt. Consequently Io
is the most volcanically active body in the
solar system.
Other examples of forces
 What is a force?
 IPC definition: A push or a pull exerted on
some object

 Better definition: Force represents the

interaction of an object with its environment

 The Unit for Force is a Newton

kgm
1N  1 2
s
Two major types of forces
 Contact Forces: Result from physical contact
between two objects
 Examples: Pushing a cart, Pulling suitcase

 Field Forces: Forces that do not involve

physical contact
 Examples: Gravity, Electric/Magnetic Force
Force is a vector! (yay more vectors )
 The effect of a force depends on
magnitude and direction
Force Diagrams (p. 126)
 Force Diagram: A diagram that
shows all the forces acting in a
situation
Free Body Diagrams p.127
 Free Body Diagrams (FBDs) isolate
an object and show only the forces
acting on it

 FBDs are essential! They are not

optional! You need to draw them to
get most problems correct!
How to draw a free body diagram

Situation: A tow truck is pulling a car

(p. 127)
We want to draw a FBD for the car
only.
 Steps for drawing your FBD
 Step 1: Draw a shape representing
the car (keep it simple)

 Step 2: Starting at the center of

the object, Draw and label all the
external forces acting on the object
Force of Tow
Truck on Car=
5800 N
Add force of gravity

Force of Tow
Truck on Car=
5800 N

Gravitational
force (Weight
of car)=
14700 N
Add force of the road on the car
(Called the Normal Force)
Normal Force =
13690 N

Force of Tow
Truck on Car=
5800 N

Gravitational
force (Weight
of car)=
14700 N
Finally add the force of friction acting
on the car
Normal Force =
13690 N

Force of Tow
Force of Friction= 775 N
Truck on Car=
5800 N

Gravitational
force (Weight
of car)=
14700 N
A Free Body Diagram of a Football
Being Kicked

Fkick

Fg
A person is pushed forward with a force of 185 N.
The weight of the person is 500 N, the floor exerts a
force of 500 N up. The friction force is 30 N.

FN= 500 N

Ff= 30 N Fapp= 185 N

Fg= 500 N
 Forces you will need
Symbol of Description
Force
Fg Gravitational Force is the Weight of
the Object (equal to mass x g= mg)
FN Normal Force= Force acting
perpendicular to surface of contact
Ff Frictional Force- Opposes applied
force; acts in direction opposite of
motion
Fapp Applied Force
Sample Problem p. 128 #3
 Draw a free body diagram of a
football being kicked. Assume that
the only forces acting on the ball
are the force of gravity and the
force exerted by the kicker.
Newton’s 1st Law of Motion
 The Law of Inertia
 An object at rest remains at rest, and
an object in motion continues in motion
with constant velocity (constant speed
in straight line) unless the object
experiences a net external force

 The tendency of an object not to

accelerate is called inertia
Acceleration
 The net external force (Fnet) is the
vector sum of all the forces acting
on an object

 If an object accelerates (changes

speed or direction) then a net
external force must be acting upon
it
Equilibrium
 If an object is at rest (v=0) or
moving at constant velocity, then
according to Newton’s First Law, Fnet
=0

 When Fnet =0, the object is said to

be in equilibrium
How do we use this information?
Sample Problem p. 133 #2

 A crate is pulled to the right with a force

of 82.0 N, to the left with a force of 115
N, upward with a force of 565 N and
downward with a force of 236 N.

 A. Find the net external force in the x direction

 B. Find the net external force in the y direction
 C. Find the magnitude and direction of the net
external force on the crate.
 Step 1: Draw a FBD
Fup = 565 N

Fleft = 115 N Fright = 82 N

Fdown = 236 N
 Find the vector sum of forces
 A. 82 N + (-115 N )= -33 N

 B. 565 N + (-236 N) = 329 N

 C. Find the resultant of the two

vectors from part a and b.
R = 331 N at 84.3 North of West
329 N

33 N
Newton’s 1st Law
 Review Newton’s 1st Law:
 When Fnet=0, an object is in equilibrium
and will stay at rest or stay in motion

 In other words, if the net external

force acting on an object is zero,
then the acceleration of that object
is zero
Newton’s 2nd Law (p.137)
 The acceleration of
an object is
directly Fnet
proportional to the
net external force
a
acting on the
object and
m
inversely
proportional to the
object’s mass
Example p. 138 # 4
 A 2.0 kg otter starts from rest at
the top of a muddy incline 85 cm
long and slides down to the bottom
in 0.50 s. What net external force
acts on the otter along the incline?
Solving the problem
 To calculate Fnet, we need m and a
 M=2.0 kg
 What is a?
 Vi= 0 m/s, t=0.50 s,
 displacement=85 cm=.85 m

 Welcome back kinematic equations! 

 1 2
x  vi t  at
2

x  vi t 0.85m  00.50 m
a   6.8 2
1 2 1 s
t 0.502
2 2

 m
Fnet  ma  2kg  6.8 2   14 N
 s 
Newtons’ 3rd Law
 Forces always exist in pairs

 For every action there is an equal

and opposite reaction
 Action- Reaction Pairs

Some action-reaction pairs:

Although the forces are the same, the
accelerations will not be unless the objects
have the same mass.
Everyday Forces
 Weight= Fg = mg

 Normal Force= FN= Is always

perpendicular to the surface.

 Friction Force= Ff
 Opposes applied force
 There are two types of friction: static
and kinetic
Static Friction

Force of Static Friction (Fs) is a

resistive force that keeps objects
stationary

As long as an object is at rest:

Fs = -Fapp
Kinetic Friction
 Kinetic Friction (Fk) is the frictional
force on an object in motion
 Coefficients of Friction
 The coefficient of friction (μ) is the ratio
of the frictional force to the normal force

 Coefficient of kinetic Friction

Fk Kinetic Friction Force

Coefficient of Kinetic Friction   k  
FN Normal Force

 Coefficient of Static Friction

Fs Static Friction Force
Coefficient of Static Friction   s  
FN Normal Force
Sample Problem p. 145 #2
 A 25 kg chair initially at rest on a
horizontal floor requires a 365 N
horizontal force to set it in motion.
Once the char is in motion, a 327 N
horizontal force keeps it moving at
a constant velocity.
 A. Find coefficient of static friction
 B. Find coefficient of kinetic friction
Coefficient of Static Friction
 In order to get the chair moving, it was
necessary to apply 365 N of force to
overcome static friction. Therefore Fs =
365 N.

 The normal force is equal to the weight

of the chair (9.81 x 25= 245 N)

F s 365 N
s    1.5
FN 245 N
 Coefficient of Kinetic Friction
 The problem states that the chair is
moving with constant velocity,
which means Fnet=0. Therefore, Fapp
must equal -Fk.

Fk= 327 N Fapplied= 327 N

Solve for Coefficient of Kinetic Friction

Fk 327 N
k    1.3
FN 245 N
Forces at an angle
 A woman is pulling a box to the
right at an angle of 30 above the
horizontal. The box is moving at a
constant velocity. Draw a free body
diagram for the situation.
 FBD FN= Normal Force
Fapp= Applied Force

F app,y

Ff= Friction Force F app,x

Fg=Weight
What is Fnet?
 Since the suitcase is moving with
constant velocity, Fnet=0.

 That means the forces in the x direction

have to cancel out and the forces in y
direction have to cancel out
 Fk = Fapp,x

 FN + Fapp,y = Fg

 NOTICE THAT NORMAL FORCE DOES NOT

EQUAL WEIGHT IN THIS SITUATION
Let’s do an example. P. 154 #42
 A 925 N crate is being pushed
across a level floor by a force F of
325 N at an angle of 25 above the
horizontal. The coefficient of kinetic
friction is 0.25. Find the magnitude
of the acceleration of the crate.
What do we need to know?
Fnet
So we need mass and Fnet. a
m
We have weight (925 N). So what is mass?
weight 925 N
mass    94.3 kg
g m
9.81 2
s

How to find Fnet?

Find vector sum of forces acting on crate.
 FBD FN= Normal Force
Fapp= 325 N

F app,y

Ff= Friction Force F app,x

Fg=Weight=925 N
Finding Fnet,y

 Is box accelerating in y direction?

 No. Therefore Fnet in y direction is 0

 So FN + Fapp,y = Fg

 So FN = Fg- Fapp,y= 925 N- 325sin(25)

 FN= 787.65 N
Finding Fnet,x

 Is box accelerating in x direction?

 Yes. Therefore Fnet,x is not 0

 Fnet,x= Fapp,x – Ff
 Fapp,x = Fappcos(25)=294.6 N

 Use coefficient of friction to find Ff

 Ff=μFN=(0.25)(787N)=197 N
Finish the Problem
 Fnet,x = 294 N – 197 N= 97 N

 So now we know that the Fnet on the

box is 97 N since Fnet,y is 0
Fnet 97 N m
a   1.03 2
m 94.3kg s
Another example. P. 154 #54 part a

 A box of books weighing 319 N is

shoved across the floor by a force of
485 N exerted downward at an angle
of 35° below the horizontal.

 If μk between the floor and the box is

0.57, how long does it take to move
the box 4.00 m starting from rest?
 DRAW FBD
FN

Fapp,x
Ff
Fapp,y

Fg=319 N
Fapp= 485 N
Find Fnet

 Is box accelerating in y direction?

 No. Therefore Fnet in y direction is 0

 So FN = Fapp,y + Fg

 So FN = 485sin(35) + 319 N= 598 N

 Fnet,x

Is box accelerating in x direction?

Yes. Therefore Fnet,x is not 0

Fnet,x= Fapp,x – Ff
Fapp,x = 485cos(35)=397.29 N

Use coefficient of friction to find Ff

Ff=μFN=(0.57)(598)=341 N

Fnet, x = 397.29- 341= 57.29 N

 So now we know that the Fnet on the box is
57.29 N since Fnet,y is 0

Weight of box is 319 N.

Find mass by dividing by 9.81
m= 32.52 kg

Fnet 57.29 N m
a   1.76 2
m 32.52kg s
Finish the problem
 We want to know x  4m vi  0
m
a  1.76
m
how long it takes s s2
for the box to
move 4.00 m.
m
 Find vf so that you vf  v  2ax  3.8
2
i
s
can solve for t

m m
 Solve for t v f  vi 3.8 s  0 s
t   2.13s
a m
1.76 2
s
Forces on An Incline
 A block slides down a ramp that is
inclined at 30° to the horizontal.
Write an expression for the normal
force and the net force acting on
the box.
Draw a Free Body Diagram
FF FN

θ
Fg,y

Fg
θ

Fg,x
 Closer look at gravity triangle.
 Solve for Fg,y and
Fg,x
θ
 cos( )
a Fg , y Fg,y
, y mg
Fgcos
h Fg Fg

Fgsin( mg
o sin(
,x  )  
F  )g ,x
Fg,x
h Fg
Coordinate system for inclined planes
Ya
xis

Xa
x is
Fnet in the y direction
 When a mass is sliding down an
inclined plane, it is not moving in
the y direction.

 Therefore Fnet,y =0 and all the

forces in the y direction cancel out.
Forces In the y-direction
 So what are the forces acting in the y
direction?

 Look at your FBD

 We have normal force and Fg,y

 Since they have to cancel out…

FN= mgcos(θ)
Forces in the x direction
 What is the force that makes the
object slide down the inclined
plane?

 Gravity…but only in the x direction

Remember that Vectors can be
moved parallel to themselves!!
FF FN

θ
Fg,y

Fg
θ

Fg,x
Forces in the x direction
 So what are the forces acting in the x
direction?

 Friction Force (Ff) and Gravitational Force

(Fg,x)

 If the box is in equlibrium

 F
g,x = Ff

 If the box is accelerating

 Fnet= Fg,x - Ff
What if there is an additional applied force?
 Example: a box is being pushed up
an inclined plane…
Fapp
FN

Fg,x
Ff
Fg,y

θ
In that case…
 FN= mgcosθ

 Fnet = Fapp- Fg,x – Ff

 If the object is in equilibrium then

 Fapp= Fg,x + Ff
An Example p. 153 #40
 A 5.4 kg bag of groceries is in
equilibrium on an incline of angle.
Find the magnitude of the normal
force on the bag.
Draw a FBD

Ff FN

Fg,x

Fg,y
Fg
θ
Solve the Problem
 The block is in equilibrium so…
 Fnet=0

 Fg,y= FN=mgcosθ=(5.4kg)(9.81)cos(15)

 FN=51 N

 Additionally, what is the force of

friction acting on the block?
Find Force of Friction
 Fnet= 0

 Fg,x= Ff= mgsinθ=5.4(9.81)sin(15)

Ff= 13.7N
Example p. 147 #3
 A 75 kg box slides down a 25.0°
ramp with an acceleration of 3.60
m/s2.

 Find the μk between the box and the

ramp

 What acceleration would a 175 kg box

have on this ramp?
FBD

Ff FN

Fg,x

Fg,y
Fg
θ
What is Fnet?

 They give mass and acceleration

 So Fnet= ma= 75kg x 3.60 m/s2

 Fnet= 270 N

 FN= mgcosθ

 Fnet= Fg,x – Ff=mgsinθ - Ff

Solve for Ff
 Fnet= Fg,x – Ff=mgsinθ – Ff

 Ff= mgsinθ – Fnet

Ff = 75kg(9.8)sin(25) – 270 N

Ff = 40.62 N
 Finish the Problem
 We are trying to solve for μk

Ff 40.26 N 40.26 N
 k    .061
FN mg cos 667 N