Resultant forces

Resultant force=

All the forces acting on an object

How do you find the resultant force?

by adding all the forces acting in 1 direction ad subtracting all the forces acting in the opposite direction

How is each force represented in a free body diagram?

By an arrow

What does the length and direction of an arrow in a free body diagram show?

Length shows relative magnitude of the forces and the direction shows the direction of the forces

How do you draw a scale drawing?

1. Draw all the forces acting on an object ‘tip to tail’, making sure they’re to scale and in the correct directions

2. Then draw a straight line from the start of the first force to the end of the last force on the diagram, this is the resultant force

3. Measure length for magnitude and angle for direction

What is equilibrium?

When all forces acting on an object combine to give a resultant force of 0, the forces are balanced

What does equilibrium look like on a scale diagram?

The tip of the last force you draw should end where the tail of the first force you drew begins

How can awkward angles be made easier to deal with?

By resolving them (splitting them into 2 component at right angles to each other, acting together, these components have the same effect as the single force)

How can you resolve a force?

By drawing it on a square grid, draw the force to scale, and then add the horizontal and vertical components using the grid lines, then measure them