A force is a push or pull experienced by

an object. Push or pull on an air track

There are 2 types of forces:

1. contact forces and

2. non-contact forces

Contact & non-contact forces

1
 This table indicates examples of the
different forces:

Contact forces Non-contact forces

Push or pull Weight
Friction Magnetic
Tension Electrostatic
Normal Gravitational
Applied
Concept of force Adding forces 2
 A normal force, (N) is the perpendicular
force applied by a surface to an object on
the surface. Normal force

If the weight of the book

Normal force
is 1,5 N, then the normal
force is also 1,5 N in the
opposite direction.

Often the normal force is

vertical – if surface is
horizontal weight
3
If the surface is not horizontal, the normal
force will still be perpendicular to the
surface and will be equal & opposite to
the perpendicular component of the
weight of the object on the slope.
In the diagram, the
normal force:

FN = F┴
Normal on a slope
4
Frictional forces always act in the opposite
direction to that of motion or potential motion.

Friction always acts parallel with the surface.

Static friction forces

There are 2 kinds of friction:

1. Static friction fs and

2. Kinetic friction fk
5
The coefficient of friction is the ratio of the
normal force to the force of friction.
Depends on the material of the two surfaces.
There are 2 types:
1. The coefficient of static friction µs

2. The coefficient of kinetic friction µk

The ratios/equations are:

µs= fs/N µk= fk/N

• fs : friction object has when it is standing
still.
• fs = µs FN
• fk = µk FN

7
fsmax is the maximum force due to static
friction just prior to the object starting
to move.

fsmax is greater than fk and this means

that µs is greater than µk for the same
object and surface.

Calculations involving friction can also

be incorporated into objects on slopes.
8
If a net or resultant force acts on an object, it
will accelerate in the direction of the force.

If the pushing force is 20 N and the force due

to kinetic friction is 16 N, then the object will
accelerate in the direction of the 20 N force.

Net force 20 N

16 N 9
Calculate the coefficient of
kinetic friction on a vehicle of
mass 2 000 kg, if the force
due to friction is 500 N, when w = f = mg
g
moving at constant velocity = 2000 x 9,8
along a horizontal road. = 19 600 N
∴Normal = 19 600 N up.
µk= fk/N = 500 N/19 600 N = 0.0306

See example on pg 21
10
 Force diagrams are pictures of the object
with forces acting on the object,
represented as arrows.
Applied
normal
A box is pulled by
a rope. We friction
indicate the forces
acting on the box
weight
as in the following
diagram.

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Here the object is represented as a dot
with all the forces acting on the object
pointing away from the dot.
Applied
normal
This is how we
represent the
same box as a friction
weight
free body
diagram.
Free body diagram

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 Homework

• Page 21
• Exercise 2.2
• Number 1+2

13
•

14
•

15
•

16
Slope:

Fg‖
θ
x
r

θ
Fg┴
Fg y
 gravitational force

Perpendicular component = Fg┴ = Fg cosθ

Parallel component = FgII = Fg sinθ
angle
with
gravitational force regard to
hori-
zontal
Examples:
A car with a mass of 1 500 kg, is parked on a slope of
30°.
1. Calculate the component of the weight of the car
that is parallel to the slope.
2. Calculate the component of the weight of the car
that is perpendicular to the slope.
Solution:
1. First draw a labelled diagram.

Fg‖
θ
x
r

θ
Fg┴
Fg y
For the shaded triangle, the parallel component is:
Fg‖ = Fg sinθ
= (1 500 × 9,8) sin30°
= 7350 N

2. For the shaded triangle the perpendicular

component is:
Fg┴ = Fg cosθ
= (1 500 × 9,8) cos30°
= 12 730,57 N
 Homework

• Page 26
• Exercise 2.4
• Number 1 and 2

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