Resultant force

1. Name the forces that acted on the object

1.1 RESULTANTFORCE
1.1 RESULTANTFORCE

Two teams are competing in a tug-of-war competition. What determines which team win; moves to the left or
Two teams are competing in a tug-of-war competition. What determines which team win; moves to the left or
moves to the right?
moves to the right?

Statethe
State themeaning
meaning of resultant
of resultant force force

Resultant force: F= F1 + F2 Resultant force: F= F1 - F2

SituationResultant
1: Two forcesforce:
acting onFan
= object
F1 + in
F2the same direction. Resultant force: F= F1 - F2

Situation
1. Calculate1:
theTresultant
wo forces acting
force. on direction
Which an object in the
does theobject
same direction.
move?

1. Calculate the resultant force. Which direction does the object move?

2. Ahorse pulls a cart with a force of 500 N. Afarmer helped the horse by pushing the cart w ith 200 Nforce.
What is the resultant force?

2. Ahorse pulls a cart with a force of 500 N. Afarmer helped the horse by pushing the cart w ith 200 Nforce.
What is the resultant force?

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amazing Physics with Tcer Alina 2

 Situation 2: Two forces acting on an object in the opposite direction

3. Calculate the resultant force. Which direction d oes the object move?

Situation 2: Two forces acting on an object in the opposite direction

3. Calculate the resultant force. Which direction d oes the object move?

4. Ahorse pulled a cart with 500 Nforce. Afarmer pulled the same cart with 200 Nforce but in opposite
direction. What is the resultant force?

4. Ahorse pulled a cart with 500 Nforce. Afarmer pulled the same cart with 200 Nforce but in opposite
direction. What is the resultant force?

Situation 3: Two forces that act on an object perpendicular to each other.

5. Consider the two forces as the sides of a rectangle.

(a) Complete the diagram

with the sides representing
the two forces that are
perpendicular to each amazing Physics with Tcer Alina 3
other. amazing Physics with Tcer Alina 3

(b) Drawthe diagonal of

the rectangle that
represents the resultant
force, Fof the two forces.
(a) Complete the diagram
with the sides representing
the two forces that are
perpendicular to each
other.

(b) Draw the diagonal of

the rectangle that
represents the resultant
force, Fof the two forces.

(c) Calculate the length of

the diagonal using
Pythagoras’ Theorem.

(d) Calculate the angle between the diagonal and one of the sides of the rectangle.

amazing Physics with Tcer Alina 4

 Parallelogram of forces method
to determine resultant force involving two forces acting at a point at an angle.
F1 = 1000 N
F2 =4:2000
Situation N acting on an object in directions that are NOTperpendicular to each other
Two forces

Parallelogram of forces method

to determine resultant force involving two forces acting at a point at an angle.
F1 = 1000 N
F2 = 2000 N

Choose a suitable scale to drawlines that represent the magnitude of the forces.
Choosescale:
a suitable
1 cmscale
= …… to drawlines that represent the magnitude of the forces.
scale: 1 cm = ……

STEP 1: STEP 1: ruler

Using Usingandruler and
protractor drawthe two forces
protractor drawthe two forces
F1 and F2 from a point
STEP 2: F1complete
and F2 from
the a point
parallelogram
STEP 2: complete the
STEP 3:
Drawthe parallelogram
diagonal of the
parallelogram.
STEP 3: The diagonal
represents the resultant
force, FDraw the diagonal
in magnitude and of the
parallelogram. The diagonal
direction.

represents the resultant

force, Fin magnitude and
direction.

Measure the length of the diagonal and calculate the magnitude of the resultant force using the scale you have chosen
Measure the angle, θ

amazing Physics with Tcer Alina 5

Measure the length of the diagonal and calculate the magnitude of the resultant force using the scale you have chosen
Measure the angle, θ

amazing Physics with Tcer Alina 5

 Find the resultant force
Set a scale. Using a ruler and protractor, draw the first force, F1 from a point O.
Draw the second force, F2 from the head of F1.
2. Triangle
Complete method
the triangle by drawing a line from the tail of F1 to the head of F2.
The diagonal represents the resultant force, Fin magnitude and direction.

Set a scale. Using a ruler and protractor, draw the first force, F1 from a point O.
Drawthe second force, F2 from the head of F1.
Complete the triangle by drawing a line from the tail of F1 to the head of F2.
The diagonal represents the resultant force, Fin magnitude and direction.

3. The Diagram above shows an aerial view of two boats are pulling a ship. The forces exerted are F1 = 4000 N
and F2 = 3000 Nwith the angle between the two cables is 50 ⁰.
Determine the magnitude of the resultant force on the ship. In which direction will the ship move?

3. The Diagram above shows an aerial viewof two boats are pulling a ship. The forces exerted are F1 = 4000 N
and F2 = 3000 Nwith the angle between the two cables is 50 ⁰.
Determine the magnitude of the resultant force on the ship. In which direction will the ship move?

amazing Physics with Tcer Alina 7

amazing Physics with Tcer Alina 7

Aim: To discuss the resultant force that acts on an object with the aid of free body diagrams.

1. Afree body diagram of an object is a diagram that shows all the forces acting on that object only.
Showand label all the forces act on an object.

Free body diagram Name the force

R=

W=

W=

T=

Direction of motion R=

W=

T=

f=

Newton’s Second Lawof Motion can be expressed as F= ma.

If a number of forces act on an object at the same time, Frepresents the resultant force on the object.

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EXERCISE
1. Diagram 1 shows a cyclist is riding along a road at a constant velocity. The total of
downward force acting on the bicycle and the cyclist is 650 N. The normal reaction of
the front tyre is 300 N and forward thrust is 200 N.

Diagram 1

(a) (i) Name force Q

………………………………………………..
(ii) What is the magnitude of Q.

…………………………………………..
(iii) Give one reason for your answer in (a) (ii)

……………………………………
(b) Calculate the normal reaction ,P acting on the rear tyre .

(c) The forward thrust is increased to become

250 N.
(i) What happens to the motion of the
bicycle ?

……………………………………………
(ii) Give one reason for your answer in (d)(i).

…………………………………………………
2. Diagram shows a man of mass 60 kg rides a bicycle of mass 25 kg

Calculate the acceleration of the bicycle.

3. Figure shows a stationary wooden block of mass 2 kg resting on a table.

Calculate
(a) the weight of the wooden block
(b) the normal reaction
 LIFT / ELEVATOR

B. Passenger in a lift (refer smart notes Force &Motion: page 16-19)

Agirl is inside a lift. She is standing on a weighing machine. The weight o f the girl, Wacts downward and a
normal R, acts on the upwards direction
Stationary Lift The lift moves upward with an The lift moves downward with
-2
Also moves upwards or acceleration of a ms an acceleration of a ms-2
downwards with uniform speed

Resultant force F= 0 N Resultant force, Fis upwards Resultant force, Fis downwards
F= R– mg = 0 R> mg mg > R
R= mg F= ma F= ma
F= R– mg F= mg – R
= ma = ma
R= mg + ma R= mg – ma
The reading on the weighing scale The reading on the weighing scale The reading on the weighing scale
is equal the weight of the girl is larger is smaller

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 EXERCISE

3. Aboy of mass 50 kg is inside a lift.

(a) Sketch the free body diagram using the symbol W and R

(c) Calculate the magnitude of the normal reaction force, Rwhen the lift is:
(i) stationary

(ii) moving upward with an acceleration of 2 ms -2

[g = 9.81 ms-2]

(iii) move downwards with an acceleration of 1.5 ms -1.

iv) . move with constant velocity 20 ms -1

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