Forces

Force

A push or pull acting on an object due to interaction with another object.

Vector Quantity

A quantity that has both magnitude and direction, such as forces.

Newton (N)

The unit of force, measured using a newtonmeter.

Contact Forces

Forces that occur due to the physical interaction between two objects (e.g. friction, air resistance).

Non-contact Forces

Forces that act at a distance without physical contact (e.g. gravity, magnetic force).

Mass

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

Weight

The force acting on an object due to gravity, calculated as W = m x g.

Gravitational Field Strength (g)

On Earth, it is approximately 9.8 N/kg.

Resultant Force

The single force that has the same effect as all the individual forces acting together.

Balanced Forces

When the net force is zero, resulting in no change in motion.

Unbalanced Forces

When the net force is not zero, causing an object to accelerate.

Work Done (W)

The energy transferred when a force causes movement, calculated as W = F x d.

Joule (J)

The unit of work done, equivalent to 1 N × 1 m.

Hooke's Law

States that the force exerted by a spring is proportional to the extension, represented by F = k x e.

Moment (M)

The turning effect of a force, calculated as M = F x d.

Pressure (P)

The force applied per unit area, given by P = F/A.

Kinetic Energy

The energy an object possesses due to its motion, calculated as KE = 0.5mv².

Momentum (p)

The product of mass and velocity, represented as p = m x v.

Newton's 1st Law of Motion

An object stays at rest or in uniform motion unless acted on by a resultant force.

Conservation of Momentum

In a closed system, total momentum before an event equals total momentum after the event.

Elastic Potential Energy

The energy stored in a spring when it is elastically deformed, calculated as E = 0.5ke².