FORCE NOTE
Pushes and pulls are forces. Whenever you push or pull an object, you
are applying a force. Scientists call a push or pull an applied force. An
applied force is a force that is applied to an object by a person or another
object.
There is another type of force called normal force.
A normal force only happens when objects are [Link] by leaning
against a wall, the wall is pushing back. The force pushing back is the
normal force.
Force Diagram
Force diagrams uses arrows to represent forces. In a force diagram, the
direction in which the arrow is pointing shows the direction in which the
force is acting. The stronger the force, the longer the arrow. Forces act in
pairs in opposite directions.
Here are commonly used pair of forces.
Weight-The downward force that acts on all objects that are not falling
(caused by gravity) and which is measured in Newton (N).
Reaction force-an upward force that acts against a weight.
FRICTION
Friction is a force that acts in the opposite direction to the applied force.
Friction is created by contact between the object and a surface. Friction
slows down moving objects. Rough surfaces produces more friction or
create lot of friction whiles smooth surfaces produces less friction.
Effects of friction
Moving objects slow down quickly on rough surfaces but do not
slow down much on smooth surfaces. That is why roads are rough
to help cars grip the road and stop easily.
Friction also gives us grip. Without grip, starting and stopping is
hard. This is the reason why the soles of your trainers have studs.
Friction produces heat. The reason why your hand get warm when
you rub them together.
AIR RESISTANCE
Air resistance is a type of friction. It is caused by contact between a
moving object and the surrounding air. Air resistance slows down
moving objects.
To travel faster through the air, things need to be streamlined (they
have a shape that moves through the air easily.
To travel slower through the air, you need a large surface area(like
a parachute)
Example: A scrunched-up sheet of paper and a flat sheet of paper
were thrown up. Both sheets of paper fall to the ground because
the force of gravity is acting on them. The scrunched-up sheet of
paper experiences less air resistance than the flat sheet of paper
because it has less surface area and so it falls more quickly. The
flat sheet of paper has a bigger surface area so it experiences more
air resistance and the paper falls more slowly.
PARACHUTES
Parachutes are used to reduce the effect of gravity. A parachute slows
down an object as it falls, increasing air resistance by using a large
canopy.
UPTHRUST
Upthrust occurs in water. When an object is in water, there are two
forces acting on [Link] weight (gravity) pulls it down. The force of the
water pushes it up, this is called upthrust.
WATER RESISTANCE
Water slows you down as you move through [Link] a shape moves
through water, there is friction between the object and the water. This is
called water resistance. Water resistance is caused by contact between a
moving object and the surrounding water. Some shapes allow an object
to move through water easily which causes less water resistance. We say
these shapes are streamlined.
Sharks and fish can move quickly in water because they have
streamlined bodies (they have a shape that lets them move through the
water easily).It is difficult to run in water because it pushes against you.
Many boats are streamlined which helps them move quickly through
water.
In nature, many animals have adapted their shape so that they can move
through water easily. They are streamlined because their shape means
that they reduce water resistance.
GRAVITY
Gravity is the force with which the Sun, Earth, Moon and other huge
objects pull objects towards themselves. The force of gravity makes
dropped objects fall to the ground. The force of gravity also keeps
objects on the ground.
Gravity pulls objects towards the centre of the Earth.
Gravity pulls you down whether you’re in the air, in water or standing
on the ground.
The size of the gravitational force is pretty much the same all over the
Earth.
