Free Body Diagram

F.B.D

It is pictorial representation of all the forces acting on a body

 STEPS to draw F.B.D.
1) Identify the body (or system) which is to be analyzed
2) Choose the co-ordinate axis as per convenience
3) Represent all the forces ACTING on the body by vectors

NOTE: Forces exerted by the body should not be drawn Include only
those forces which are acting on the body and not those forces which
the body itself is exerting
Draw F.B.D. of block of mass ‘m’

m
Now focus on which forces have we included & the Action Reaction Pairs

m
 Now focus on which forces have we included.

This force is acting ON

m lock hence we include it
Action force
from IIIrd law

mg
This force is
applied by block
hence we DON’T Reaction force
INCLUDE it mg
Similarly

Action force
N

Reaction force
From IIIrd law
 N and mg are NOT action reaction forces
Finally
Reason : N and mg are of DIFFERENT
nature
N

mg
Now let’s draw the FBD of each block

m1

m2
Imagine blocks M1 and M 2 kept on ground as

FBD of M1 FBD of M 2
Normal Contact force
N1 Normal Contact force N2 on m 2 due to ground
on m1 due to m 2
m m2

m1g Gravitational force N1 m g Gravitational force on m 2

2
on m1

NOTE:- Normal Contact force on M 2 due to M1

Do not draw M1g directly
System
System is a body or combination of bodies which are being observed.

Man

Monkey
Horse
 ➔ Imagine these 3 beings standing on the
Man surface of earth.
➔ We can assume any one of the body to be
our system

Monkey
Horse
Now the question is whether is this the only System?

Man

Monkey
Horse
What exactly is the system in the diagram?
 The answer is clear that it is just a
matter of choice i.e. what actually is
to be observed becomes our system

We can assume m1 to be our system , Or if required as per the question we can

assume m 2 to be our system, Or m1 , m 2 , string , pulley, table & earth can all
combine to form a system.
Classification of Forces

Internal External
 If the force acting on a body/particle is applied
by some other body which is included in the
Internal system, then such a force is termed as
Internal force.
FORCE
If the force acting on a body/particle is
External applied by some other body which is not a
part of the system & acts as an external
agent.

Note: However the application of the same will be discussed later in the chapter.
 Ram Shyam

Imagine Ram and Shyam playing tug of war.

If we consider Ram, Shyam & string to be a
system, then the pulling force acting on
Ram due to Shyam (part of system).
Or the pulling force acting on Shyam due to
Ram (part of system).
Both are the examples of INTERNAL Force
 Ram Shyam

The other classification is we consider only

Ram to be our system
And the force experienced by Ram due to
Shyam is said to EXTERNAL FORCE.
Hence Shyam acts as an external agent.
Concept of Weighing Machine
Concept of Weighing Machine

m
Weighing Machine
Weighing Machine
Concept of Weighing Machine

m
Weighing Machine
Weighing Machine

N
N

N – mg = m (0)
m
⇒
N = mg

mg
N

m
Weighing Machine

mg
N

N
Reading of weighing machine = kg.
g

=
mg
kg
N = mg
g As calculated
.
earlier
= m kg.
 N
+

m
– Weighing Machine

mg

N Reading of weighing machine - Summary

N – mg = m (0)
➔ Normal force (N) will be vertically upward
m ➔ Apply all the forces on block of mass m
⇒
N = mg
➔ Weight mg will be vertically downward
➔ Acceleration of block, a = 0
mg ➔ Take upward direction as +ve and
downward direction as –ve.
➔ So, N will be +ve and mg will be - ve
Concept of Weighing Machine N

m m
Weighing Machine
Weighing Machine

mg
N

Weighing machine is sensitive for NORMAL FORCE it applies on body.

N kg
Reading of weighing machine (in kg) = g .

Where,
N = Normal force applied by weighing machine on body (in Newton)
g = acceleration due to gravity (in m/s 2 )
A block of m a s s m is kept on weighing machine, which is placed in lift,
accelerating up with acceleration ‘a’. Find reading of weighing machine.
A. (mg - ma)/g
B. (mg + ma)/g
C. m
D. None of these a

m
Weighing Machine
 A block of mass m is kept on weighing machine, which is placed in lift,
accelerating up with acceleration ‘a’. Find reading of weighing machine.

N Normal force (N) will be

N vertically upward

a Applying Newton’s 2 nd law on

block.

m ⇒ N – mg = ma
Weighing Machine
m
+ a ⇒ N = mg + ma

mg
– mg

Ground
observer
 A block of mass m is kept on weighing machine, which is placed in lift,
accelerating up with acceleration ‘a’. Find reading of weighing machine.

∴ Reading = N kg.
g

=
mg + ma
kg.
g
⇒ N = mg + ma

1) Apply all the forces on block of mass m

Consider an observer on ground For observer,
2) (INERTIAL FRAME)
Acceleration of block = a

3) Take upward direction as +ve and downward as –ve . S o N will be +ve and mg
will be – v e
2 blocks of mass 2kg and 4kg are kept on a smooth floor as shown.
Find the normal contact force
I. between the blocks
II. between 4kg and surface.
A. 20 N, 60 N
2 kg
B. 60 N, 20 N
C. 40 N, 60 N 4 kg
D. None of these
Two blocks of mass 2kg and 4kg are kept on a surface as shown. Find
the normal contact force
I. between the blocks
II. between 4kg and surface.
2 kg
N1 Applying II nd law
+
4 kg
2 kg
F net = M a
N1 – 20 = M (0)
20 N
N1 = 20 N

Let us start with FBD of the blocks

 Two blocks of mass 2kg and 4kg are kept on a surface as shown. Find
the normal contact force
I. between the blocks
II. between 4kg and surface.
2 kg
N2 Applying II nd law
4 kg
4 kg F ne = M a
t
N 2 – N1 – 40 = M (0)
N1 40 N
N 2 = N 1 + 40
N 2 = 20 + 40
N 2 = 60
N
From FBD of 2kg we Calculated
N1 = 20N

N 2 Normal contact force between 4kg and ground

N1 Normal contact force between 2kg and 4kg
If force F = 5N, then find :
a) Acceleration of 2 blocks.
b) Contact force between m1 and m2.
A. 5/3m/s 2 , 23/7 N
B. 5/4m/s 2 , 24/7 N
4 kg
C. 5/7m/s 2 , 20/7 N F = 5N 3 kg
m2
D. None of these m1
 4 kg
F = 5N 3 kg
m2
m1
 a

m1 m2
F

➔ We have seen, both block moved together.

➔ Take both blocks as a system.
➔ So, acceleration of both block will be same.
Acceleration of system = a (let)

M a s s of system = m1 + m 2 = 3 + 4 = 7kg
Force on system = F = 5N
Force on system
∴ Acceleration of System =
M a s s of system
a = 5/7 m/s 2
 a

F m1 m2 N
N

+
Applying Newton’s 2 nd law on block m2.

N = m2a
5
As, m 2 = 4kg and a = 7 m/s 2

⇒ N = 4 × 75 ⇒ 20
N = 7 N

1. Let’s apply contact forces between two blocks

2. To find contact force, take m 2 as the system
3. Apply Newton’s 2 nd law on block m 2 in horizontal direction
4. Contact force (N) on m 2 will be in right direction and on m1 in left direction
Motion on Inclined Plane
A block of mass m is placed on an inclined plane of inclination θ with the horizontal. If
all the surfaces are smooth and the inclined plane is fixed on ground. Find the
acceleration of block and the normal contact force between the block and wedge just
after the block is released.
A. g sinθ, mg cosθ
B. g cosθ, mg cosθ

C. g sinθ, mg sin θ
D. None of these

θ
fixed
➔ As the wedge is fixed on ground.
➔ The block is constrained to move only
along the wedge Or we can say the
acceleration of block in the direction
perpendicular To wedge is zero.
➔ Take along the inclined & downward
direction as +ve and upward as – v e
➔ Take perpendicular to inclined & upward
direction as +ve and downward as – v e θ
➔ Now apply IInd law fixed
 N

Along the incline Perpendicular to incline

= Ma x = Ma y
F net F net
As ay = 0 θ
Mg sinθ = Ma
F net = 0
mg cos θ

θ
a = g sin θ N = mg cos θ fixed

Concept : Once the motion of particle is clear always choose co–ordinate axis
parallel and perpendicular to that direction.