Force & Motion

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Force & Motion Notes

Everyday you deal with forces.

• Gravity is the force which keeps you on the ground. Friction is the
force which allows a person to stop a car using brakes.
• Force can be defined as a push or a pull.

Sometimes there may be more than one force acting on an object. When a
pitcher of a baseball team throws a ball, the ball has many forces acting
upon it. The first and most obvious force is the pitcher throwing the ball. A
second force is not as obvious. Why does the ball eventually fall to the
ground? Gravity is also acting upon the baseball. The third and perhaps
most overlooked force is friction.

• Friction is the force which assists in bringing nearly every object to a

stop. Obviously, the force of gravity pushes the baseball back to the
surface of the earth, but how does friction act on the baseball? As
you have learned when studying the atmosphere, there are many
types of molecules in the air. The higher elevated locations have
fewer molecules than places located at sea level. The resistance
which is experienced by the baseball as it collides with the molecules
is an example of friction.

The net force of an object is the combination of each force which is

affecting the object. In our example of the baseball being thrown, the net
force would include; gravity, friction from the air molecule, and the force
exerted from the pitcher’s arm.

• Newton’s First Law of Motion

o According to Isaac Newton’s First Law of Motion, if the net force
acting on the baseball is zero, the baseball remains at rest, and
if the baseball is already moving from being hit with a bat or
being thrown, it will continue to move at a constant speed in a
straight line. Of course, here on earth, the scenario of the
baseball continuously moving in a straight line does not
happen. Outside forces including gravity, air pressure, and
wind currents affect the pathway of the baseball.

• Newton’s Second Law of Motion

o According to Isaac Newton’s Second Law of Motion, a baseball
which is acted upon by a force will accelerate in the direction of
the force. Let’s return to our pitcher. Whatever direction the
pitcher throws or pushes his/her arm, the ball will also travel the
same way. When the force of the bat acts upon the baseball,
the ball will change in the direction of the new force.