WOW SCIENCE

Force

A push or a pull exerted by one object on another, causing a change in speed or direction.

SI unit of force

Newton (N), which gives a 1-kilogram object an acceleration of 1 m/s².

Dyne

A smaller unit of force; 1 dyne gives a 1-gram object an acceleration of 1 cm/s².

Strong Nuclear Force

The force that holds protons and neutrons together in the nucleus of atoms.

Electromagnetic Force

An attractive or repulsive force between charged bodies, including electric and magnetic forces.

Weak Nuclear Force

A force that plays a role in the radioactive decay of some nuclei.

Gravitational Force

The force of attraction between objects due to their masses, responsible for the weight of bodies on Earth.

Contact Forces

Forces that result from direct physical contact between two objects, such as friction and air resistance.

Non-Contact Forces

Forces that do not involve physical contact, such as gravitational or electromagnetic forces.

Weight

The force with which an object is attracted toward the center of the Earth.

Mass

The quantity of matter an object contains, measured in kilograms (kg).

Acceleration due to gravity (g)

The value of gravitational acceleration, approximately 9.8 m/s² at the surface of the Earth.

Equation for Weight

w = mg, where w is weight, m is mass, and g is acceleration due to gravity.

Newton (N)

The SI unit of weight, equivalent to the force that gives a 1 kg mass an acceleration of 1 m/s².

Kinetic Friction

A type of friction that opposes the motion of two surfaces sliding past each other.

Static Friction

A force that prevents two surfaces from starting to slide past each other.

Tension Force

The pulling force transmitted along a string, rope, or other flexible connector.

Normal Force

The support force exerted upon an object in contact with a stable surface.

Friction

A force that opposes the relative motion between two surfaces in contact.

Air Resistance

A type of frictional force that acts on objects moving through air.

Inertia

The tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion.

Action at a Distance

An interaction that occurs without physical contact, such as gravitational attraction.

Force Sensor

A device that converts mechanical force into electrical signals for measurement.

Spring Balance

An instrument used for measuring force based on the elongation of a spring.

Mass on Moon vs Earth

An object's mass remains constant regardless of location; weight changes with gravity.

Gravity on Moon

Approximately 1/6th of Earth's gravity, resulting in reduced weight on the Moon.

Fundamental Forces

The four basic forces in nature: strong nuclear, weak nuclear, electromagnetic, and gravitational.

Non-Fundamental Forces

Also known as derived forces; arise from interactions involving fundamental forces.

Example of Non-Contact Force

Gravitational force is an example, as it acts at a distance without direct content.

Application of Force Units

1 N = 10^5 dynes; forces can be measured in either newtons or dynes.

Unit of Mass

Kilogram (kg), which measures the quantity of matter in an object.