A.2.

2 Types of
Forces

☞
A.2.2 Types of Forces
Normal Force
Objects as point particles and Free-body diagrams
When you set a mass on a tabletop, even though it
stops moving, it still has a weight.
The tabletop applies a counterforce to the weight,
called a normal force.
Normal force is always perpendicular to the
surface
The diagram at the right is a free body diagram N
W
(FBD) which represents all forces acting on an
object.
A.2.2 Types of Forces
Resultant Force
Solving problems involving forces and resultant force
The resultant (or net) force is just the vector sum of
all of the forces acting on a body.
EXAMPLE: An object has mass of 25 kg. A tension of 50
N and a friction force of 30 N are acting on it as shown.
What is the resultant force?
SOLUTION:
N
· Since the weight and the normal
forces cancel out in the y-direction,
50 N
we only need to worry about the F T
f
forces in the x-direction.
· The net force is thus 30 N
W
50 – 30 = 20 N (+x-dir).
A.2.2 Types of Forces
Resultant Force
Solving problems involving forces and resultant force
The resultant (or net) force is just the vector sum of
all of the forces acting on a body.
Fnet = F Fx,net = Fx Fy,net = Fy net force
EXAMPLE: An object has exactly two forces F1 = 50. N
and F2 = 30. N applied simultaneously to it. What is the
resultant force’s magnitude?
SOLUTION: F 2
et
F

30. N
n
· Fnet = F = F1 + F2 so we simply
graphically add the two vectors:
· The magnitude is given by
Fnet2 = 502 + 302 50. N F1
F = 58 N.
A.2.2 Types of Forces
Resultant Force
Solving problems involving forces and resultant force
The resultant (or net) force is just the vector sum of
all of the forces acting on a body.
Fnet = F Fx,net = Fx Fy,net = Fy net force
EXAMPLE: An object has exactly two forces F1 = 50. n
and F2 = 30. n applied simultaneously to it as shown.
What is the resultant force’s direction?
SOLUTION: F2
t
F e

30. N
n
· Direction is measured from the (+) x-axis.
· Opposite and adjacent are given directly, 
so use tangent. 50. N F1
tan  =
-1
A.2.2 Types of Forces
Resultant Force
Solving problems involving forces and resultant force
EXAMPLE: An object has exactly two forces F1 = 50. N
and F2 = 30. N applied simultaneously to it. What is the
resultant force’s magnitude?
SOLUTION:
· Begin by resolving F1 into its x- F2
and y-components.

30. N

50 sin 28
· Then Fnet,x = 44 N and F1
. N

23 N
50
· Fnet,y = 23 + 30 = 53 N 28°
Fnet2 = Fnet,x2 + Fnet,y2 44 N
50 cos 28
Fnet2 = 442 + 532
A.2.2 Types of Forces
Tension
Objects as point particles and Free-body diagrams
Tension T can only be a pull and never a push.
Friction Ff tries to oppose the motion.
Friction Ff is parallel to the contact surface.
Normal N is perpendicular to the contact surface.
Friction and normal are mutually perpendicular. Ff N.
Friction and normal are surface contact forces.
Weight W is an action-at-a-distance force.
N

T
Ff the tension
Contact surface

W
A.2.2 Types of Forces
Tension at an angle with friction
Sketching and interpreting free-body diagrams
Weight is sketched from the center of an object.
Normal is always sketched perpendicular to the contact
surface.
Friction is sketched parallel to the contact surface.
Tension is sketched at whatever angle is given.

N
T

Ff

W
 30° 45° T
2
T1 tT
A.2.2 Types of Forces kn o
m
3

Translational equilibrium

EXAMPLE: An object of mass m is hanging via

three cords as shown. Find the tension in each
of the three cords, in terms of m.
SOLUTION:
· Give each tension a name to organize your effort.
· Draw a free body diagram of the mass at the knot.
· T3 is the easiest force to find. Why?
T1 T2
30° 45°

T3
FBD, knot
 30° 45° T
2
T1 tT
kn o 3
A.2.2 Types of Forces m
Translational equilibrium
EXAMPLE: An object of mass m is hanging via
three cords as shown. Find the tension in each
of the three cords, in terms of m.
SOLUTION: T3 = mg
· Now we break T1 and T2 down to components.
· Looking at the FBD of the knot we see that
T1x = T1 cos 30° = 0.866T1
T1 T2
T1y = T1 sin 30° = 0.500T1
30° 45°
T2x = T2 cos 45° = 0.707T2
T3
T2y = T2 sin 45° = 0.707T2
FBD, knot
 30° 45° T
2
T1 tT
A.2.2 Types of Forces kn o
m
3

Translational equilibrium

EXAMPLE: An object of mass m is hanging via

three cords as shown. Find the tension in each
of the three cords, in terms of m.
SOLUTION: T3 = mg
∑Fx = 0
0.707T2 - 0.866T1 = 0
T2 = 1.225T1
∑Fy = 0
T1 T2
0.707T2 + 0.500T1 - T3 = 0
0.707(1.225T1) + 0.500T1 = T3 30° 45°
T1 =
T3
T2 = 1.225 T2 = 0.897mg FBD, knot
 IB Style
Question
Static Equillibrium
A mass is suspended from the ceiling of a
train carriage by a string. The string
makes an angle θ with the vertical when
the train is accelerating along a straight
horizontal track.
What is the acceleration of the
train?
A. g sin θ
B. g cos θ
C. g tan θ
D. g / tanθ
IB Style
Question

Correct answer C
 A.2.2 Types of Forces
Elastic restoring Force

The elastic restoring

force(FH) is equal and op-
posite to the force that ex-
tended the spring initially

The extension (x) is the change

in the upstretched length of the
spring

Hooke´s Law shows that FH α x

FH = -kx
k is the spring constant
 A.2.2 Types of Forces
Combining Springs

Springs connected in se-

ries:

= +

Springs connected in paral-

lel:

K = k1 + k 2
 A.2.2 Types of Forces
• Pressure
Buoyancyis theForce
normal force that acts on a
surface for each unit of area P =

• The SI unit for pressure is Pascals (Pa)

• The buoyancy force or upthrust (Fb) arises

from the pressure difference at the top and
bottom of an object

• Fb = rVg V is volume displaced and r

density

• Archimedes´ principle states the buoyancy

force on an object is equal to the weight of
A.2.2 Types of Forces
Solid Friction
During the static phase, Fs,max
the static friction force

Force
Fs exactly matches the Fd
tension
friction
applied (tension) force.
Fs increases linearly until it
static Time
dynamic
reaches a maximum value Fs,max.
The friction force then almost instantaneously
decreases to a constant value Fd, called the dynamic
friction force.
Take note of the following general properties of the
friction force:

0 ≤ Fs ≤ Fs,max Fd < Fs,max Fd = a constant

A.2.2 Types of Forces
Solid Friction
Since there are two types of friction, static and
dynamic, every pair of materials will have two
coefficients of friction, μs and μd.
In addition to the "roughness" or "smoothness" of the
materials, the friction force depends, not surprisingly, on
the normal force N.
Here are the relationships between the friction force Ff,
the coefficients of friction μ, and the normal force N:

Ff ≤ μs N static Ff = μd N dynamic friction

A.2.2 Types of Forces y
Air resistance At first,
Qualitatively describing the effect of fluid v = 0.
resistance on falling objects or projectiles,
including reaching terminal speed W
Then, as v
Suppose a blue whale suddenly y
increases, so
materializes high above the ground. D
does D.
The drag force D is proportional to
the speed squared. W
v
Thus, as the whale picks up speed, v reaches a
the drag force increases. maximum value,
D
Once the drag force equals the called terminal y
whale’s weight, the whale will stop speed.
accelerating. D = W.
It has reached terminal speed. W
vterminal
 A.2.2 Types of Forces
Stokes´law
• Stokes´s law calculates the drag force acting on a
sphere that moves through a viscous fluid.

• His theory assumes laminar flow (no turbulent

flow)

• Fd = 6phrv r, radius v, velocity and h, viscosity

constant

• Applying this to a sphere dropping the following

formula vt= vt is the terminal velocity
reached.