Physics Additional 2.1 Forces And Their Effects

2.1 Forces and their effects

2.1.1 Resultant forces

• Forces can change shape or motion of an object

• Objects can change speed and direction

• When two objects interact, the forces they exert on each other are equal and opposite

• A number of forces acting upon an object at one point can be replaced by one force that has the same effect as the original forces acting together

  • This is called the resultant force

• If the resultant force is zero, the object will remain stationary or at a constant speed

2.1.2 Forces and motion

• Acceleration = resultant force/ mass

• a=(v-u)/t

  • a= acceleration in m/s^2

  • v= final velocity in m/s

  • u= initial velocity in m/s

  • t= time in seconds

• The gradient of a distance-time graph represents speed

• The gradient of a velocity-time graph represents acceleration

2.1.3 Forces and breaking

• When a vehicle travels at a steady speed the resistance balances out the…