Lesson 1

What Is Force?
Force
 Is a push or pull
 Represented by a vector (has magnitude and direction)
 Includes weight, tension, normal force, and friction
 Is measured in newtons (N) named in the honor of the
British physicist, Sir Isaac Newton or dynes (dyn)
 May either be a contract or a noncontract force
 Has direction

Has two directions:

Push – directed away from that which exerted it
Pull – directed toward that which exerted it

Examples of Forces
 When humans and animals exert at will
 Inanimate Objects
 Force that Earth exert on all things on it including Moon, Sun and
other planets

“Pull of Gravity” or “Force of Gravity”

- Is the term when the earth exerts force

 ANYTHING ON EARTH’S SURFACE IS PULLED BY

GRAVITY DOWNWARD, GIVING THINGS THEIR
WEIGHT

Normal Force
 Acts perpendicular to the surface that exerts it

Tension
 Pulling force exerted on a nonrigid object such as rope, string, or
chain.
Measuring Forces
Scale : Measuring Forces

In the International System of Units ( SI ), the standard

unit of force in the newton (N). It can be broken down
into: 2
.

1 1 N = 1 kg m / s

In the CGS system, force is measured in a unit called

dyne. It is never abbreviated. A dyne2 may be broken
.
down into:

1 dyne = 1 g cm / s

Representing Forces through a

Contract and Noncontract Forces