Physics - Mechanical Equilibrium & Newton’s First Law

Learning and understanding the material of Mechanical Equilibrium and Newtons First Law.

Force

A push or pull on an object.

Net Force

The sum of all forces acting on an object.

Inertia

The property of an object to resist a change in its state of motion. A measure of “laziness”.

Mass

The amount of matter an object has (measured in kg)

Mechanical Equilibrium

When the net force is zero, the object is in mechanical equilibrium.

An object in mechanical equilibrium is stable without changes in motion. If an object is NOT accelerating it is in equilibrium whether it is moving or not.

Normal Force (Support Force)

The upward force that balances the weight of an object.