MODULE 1:
GADGETS WORK WONDERS (I)
Chapter 1 Exploring Forces
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Chapter 1 Exploring Forces
1.1 What are the effects of forces?
1.2 How can forces be measured?
1.3 What are the effects of friction?
1.4 How do simple machines work?
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Objectives
State that a force can change the shape, size,
state of rest and motion of a body
Give examples of different forces: pushing,
lifting, stretching, twisting, pressing,
gravitational, frictional and magnetic forces
Infer the effects of forces such as
◦ change in state of rest and / or motion of a body
◦ change in shape and / or size of a body
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What is a force?
A force is a push or a
pull.
Actions such as
lifting, stretching,
bending, twisting and
squeezing involve
pushing and pulling.
Activity Book Link Actions Involving Pushing
Activity 1.1
Forces in Daily Life
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Actions Involving Pulling
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Actions Involving Pushing and Pulling
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Other examples of forces
Other examples of
forces are frictional
force, magnetic force
and gravitational
force.
How is life in space without any
gravitational pull?
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What is frictional force?
Friction is the force
that acts between
two surfaces in
contact.
When we hold a
glass of water, there
is friction between
our hand and the
glass.
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What is magnetic force?
A magnetic force is
the force between
two magnetic poles.
Itcan be an
attractive or a
repulsive force.
Magnetic forces are useful in many
areas of our lives.
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What is gravitational force?
Gravitational force
is the force that pulls
an object towards
the earth.
Gravitational force helps in daily tasks
such as pouring water from a jar.
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What are the effects of forces?
A force can change
the shape and/or size
of an object.
crushing a tin can changes its
shape and size
squeezing a sponge can changes its
shape and size
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What are the effects of forces?
A force can change the motion of an object;
for example,
(i) move a stationary object,
(ii) stop a moving object,
(iii) change the speed of a moving object,
(iv) change the direction of a moving object.
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a force can cause a stationary ball to move
a force can make a moving ball roll faster
or slower
a force can cause a ball to change direction
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Chapter 1 Exploring Forces
1.1 What are the effects of forces?
1.2 How can forces be measured?
1.3 What are the effects of friction?
1.4 How do simple machines work?
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Objectives
Use a spring balance to measure force
Use newton as the unit of force
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How are Forces Measured?
Forces are measured
using spring
balances.
The International
System of Units (SI
unit) of force is the an extension
spring balance
newton (N).
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Spring balances
The two types of spring balance
are:
(a) extension spring balance
(b) compression spring
balance
In an extension spring balance,
the force causes the spring to
become extended or longer.
is the force exerted by the food on the
compression spring balance a push or a
pull?
In a compression spring
balance, the force causes the
spring to be compressed or
become shorter. © Copyright Star Publishing Pte Ltd
How do we read a spring balance?
The size of the force can be read from the scale of a
spring balance.
The reading on the scale shown is 50 N.
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What is weight?
Weight is the force of
gravity pulling an
object towards the
Earth.
Weightis not the same
as mass.
Activity Book Link an electronic balance is used
Activity 1.2 to measure mass
Making a Spring Balance
Activity 1.3
Measuring Forces
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Differences between weight and mass
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Chapter 1 Exploring Forces
1.1 What are the effects of forces?
1.2 How can forces be measured?
1.3 What are the effects of friction?
1.4 How do simple machines work?
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Objectives
Describe the effects of friction on the
motion of an object
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What is Frictional Force?
friction causes a rolling ball to slow down and stop
Friction is a force which opposes motion.
It acts between two surfaces in contact.
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What are the Factors Affecting Friction?
Friction depends on:
(a) the smoothness
of the two surfaces
a carrom seed moves easily across a
in contact. smooth carrom board
(b) the force
pressing the two
surfaces together. a heavy box on the right experiences a
larger friction than an empty one
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Does the Surface Area in Contact Affect
Friction?
Friction does not depend on the surface area in contact.
A rectangular block experiences the same amount of
friction no matter which side it is placed on a surface.
Activity Book Link
Activity 1.5
Friction and Area in Contact
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Is Friction a Useful Force?
friction helps a person
walking on smooth ice
to grip a pencil
can make you fall brake pads on a bicycle help it
to slow down and stop
Friction helps us to walk without slipping.
Friction is needed for braking.
Friction helps us to grip things
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Is Friction a Nuisance?
lubricants and ball bearings reduce friction between moving parts of machines
Friction
can also be a nuisance as it produces
unwanted heat in machines and causes wear and tear.
Friction can be reduced by:
(a) Using lubricants
(b) Using ball bearings
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Chapter 1 Exploring Forces
1.1 What are the effects of forces?
1.2 How can forces be measured?
1.3 What are the effects of friction?
1.4 How do simple machines work?
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Objectives
Identify the different types of simple machines
(levers, inclined planes and pulleys) and give
everyday examples of their use
Investigate the effort used when the following
is used to raise a load
▲ Lever
▲ Inclined plane
▲ Pulley
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How do Simple Machines Help Us do Work?
A simple machine is a
device that makes work
easier for us. It can:
(a) reduce the force
needed to move a load,
(b) change a small
movement into a large
one,
(c) change the direction or examples of simple machines
position of a force.
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Types of simple machines
Three common types
of simple machines
are:
(a) levers,
(b) inclined planes,
(c) pulleys.
a screwdriver acts as a lever to help
open a tin of paint
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Lever system
There are three parts in a lever system:
(a) the fulcrum (b) the effort (c) the load.
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Why is it easier to open a tin of paint with a
long screwdriver than a short one?
The further the
effort from the
fulcrum, the smaller
the effort needed to
move the load.
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Classes of levers
There are three
classes of levers:
◦ 1st class lever 1st class lever
(Fulcrum is between
load and effort)
◦ 2nd class lever (Load is
between effort and 2nd class lever
fulcrum)
◦ 3rd class lever (Effort
is between load and
fulcrum)
3rd class lever
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Examples of the three classes of levers
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How do levers make work easier?
First and second class levers make work easier
by allowing us to use a small effort to overcome
a large load.
Third class levers enable a small movement of
the effort to result in a large movement of the
load.
This makes work such as sweeping the floor
faster. However, an effort larger than the load is
needed.
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What is an inclined plane?
a wheelchair ramp is an example worker moving goods up an
of inclined plane inclined plane into a truck
An inclined plane is a flat surface with one
end higher than the other.
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How does an inclined plane make work
easier?
Moving a load up an
inclined plane requires
a smaller effort than
lifting the load vertically.
However, the load has to
be moved over a longer
distance along the
inclined plane.
Activity Book Link
Activity 1.7
Inclined Planes
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What is a Pulley?
A pulley is a wheel with a
groove for holding a rope or a
cable in place.
In a single fixed pulley system,
the effort needed is equal to
the load. However, it is still
considered a simple machine
because it makes work easier.
Pulleys are also used in
construction cranes, cable
cars, window blinds and
a flag pole uses a pulley
yachts
Activity(to raise
Book Linksails).
Activity 1.8 Pulley Systems
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Useful applications of pulleys
yacht
cable car
construction crane
window blinds
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