Force and Motion
Physical Science
Forces and Motion
Forces can create
changes in motion
(acceleration or
deceleration).
Definition of a Force
A force is a
push or a pull.
Balanced Force
A force that
produces no
change in an
object’s motion
because it is
balanced by an
equal yet
opposite force.
Unbalanced Forces
Are forces that
result in an
+
object’s
motion being
changed.
Motion can be described
as:
A change in an
object’s position.
Newton’s 1ST Law of
Motion
1st Laws States that an Ex. This law explains why
object at rest will remain at you fly forward in a car
rest and an object in motion when someone slams on
will remain in motion, the brakes. Because of
unless an outside force acts Inertia, your body wants to
on it (such as friction). This keep moving at the same
law is also called the LAW speed as the car.
OF INERTIA.
Newton’s 2nd Law of
Motion
2nd Law States that a Ex. This law
force on an object will explains why a golf
move the object in the
direction of the force.
ball will roll in the
The relationship direction of a force
between force, mass applied to it.
and acceleration is
summarized by the
formula:
f = ma
Q: The frog leaps from its resting position at the
lake’s bank onto a lily pad. If the frog has a mass
of 0.5 kg and the acceleration of the leap is 3 m/s2,
what is the force the frog exerts on the lake’s
bank when leaping?
(A) 0.2 N
(B) 0.8 N
(C) 1.5 N
(D) 6.0 N
Formula chart says F=ma, m is mass
in kg, a is acceleration in m/s2.
So, .5 kg x 3 m/s2= 1.5 N
Newton’s 3rd Law of
Motion
3rd Law States that
for every action
there is an equal but
opposite action.
Ex. A skater pushes
back on the skates
but the skater moves
forward.
THESE LAWS EXPLAIN ALL MOTION
Q: The hands of a swimmer
pushing backward against
water represent an action
force. What is the reaction
force?
A. The swimmer’s body moving forward?
B. The water pushing against the swimmer’s hands
C. The swimmer’s body pushing against the water.
D. The water moving backward from the swimmer.
Friction
A force that opposes, or works
against, motion of two objects that
are touching.
Friction
• Friction causes an
object to slow down
and stop.
• Since the amount of
energy stays constant,
the energy becomes
heat.
Universal Law of Gravity
All objects in
the universe
attract each
other by the
force of
gravity.
Universal Law of
Gravity
Gravity varies depending
on two factors:
1) the mass of the object
doing the pulling, and
2) the distance from the center
of that object
On Earth gravity = 9.8 m/s/s
For every
second that an
object falls its
speed increases
by 9.8 m/s