iGCSE Science (Physics)

Unit P1 : Force and Motion

Forces
 Lesson Objectives
• State that a force is a push or a pull
• Name some types of force
• State that forces will change the shape or motion of an object
• State that force is measured in newtons (N)
• Show how to draw and interpret force diagrams
• Explain the meaning and calculation of resultant (or unbalanced)
force
• Explain that if zero unbalanced force acts on an object, it will
either remain still, or it will move in a straight line at constant
speed
• State that an unbalanced force will cause an acceleration
 What is a force?
A force is a “push” or a “pull”. Some common examples:

___ ________ (drag) – acts against

________ – pulls anything moving through air
things downwards

_____ – acts against

anything moving ______ – keeps things afloat
Words – upthrust, air resistance, friction, weight
 Types of Force

Weight Upthrust
(gravity) Tension

Drag
Lift FORCE (air
resistance)

Thrust
Magnetic Friction
 Balanced and unbalanced
forces
Reaction
Consider a camel standing on a road.
What forces are acting on it?

These two forces would be equal and

opposite – we say that they are
BALANCED. The camel doesn’t
move anywhere.

Weight
 Balanced and unbalanced
forces Reaction
What would happen if we took the
road away?

Weight
 Balanced and unbalanced
forces
What would happen if we took the
road away?

The camel’s weight is no longer

balanced by anything, so the
camel falls downwards…

Weight
 Balanced and unbalanced
forces
What would happen if we took the
road away?

The camel’s weight is no longer

balanced by anything, so the
camel falls downwards…
Balanced and unbalanced forces

1) This animal is either 2) This animal is getting

________ or moving with ________
_____ ____

3) This animal is getting

4) This animal is ________
_______
Balanced or unbalanced?
 Consider this Car :

Thrust
Drag

The force (thrust) of the engine is

bigger than the drag so the car
ACCELERATES
 It is now going faster
drag is now
bigger Force of Engine
Thrust

The thrust force of the engine is still

bigger than the drag so the car still
accelerates but at a smaller rate
 It is now going at top
speed say 70 m/s, about
Air Resistance is 145 mph
now as big as F Force of Engine
F

The drag is now equal to the forward force of

the engine and so they balance out :
It continues at constant speed
 The brakes are applied….
drag and friction
are bigger than F
force of engine
F

The drag and friction are now bigger than

the forward force of the engine and so the
resultant force is backwards

The car decelerates (slows down)

 This car has a lower top
speed but the same engine
More drag at a
lower speed Same
engine force

Top speed is only 40 m/s because this

car is less streamlined (aerodynamic)
than the sports car. It is also heavier.
Forces are measured in
newtons, N for short
• The unit of force is the
newton. It is named after
the famous scientist from
England, Sir Isaac Newton

• The force of gravity

(weight) on a small apple
is about one newton!
 Extend Yourself !

• Find out about

Newton’s three Laws
of Motion