Unit 9

Dynamics
Contents

1. Forces: Concept and Classification

2. Everyday Forces
3. Force Diagrams
4. Hooke’s Law
5. Newton’s Laws
6. Simple Machines
 1. Forces: Concept

A force is anything that causes changes in shape The unit of force in the International
(deformation) or/and in an object’s state of motion. System (SI) is called newton (N).

A force is a vector quantity, because we need

to define its magnitude and direction.

- Contact forces
Classification
- Non-contact forces (interactions)
1. Forces: Classification
 2. Everyday forces

Weight
Weight (W) is the name of the gravitational
attraction exerted by our planet. This
attraction is directly proportional to the
gravitational acceleration. Weight and mass
are different physical quantities, because the
mass doesn’t change even though the
gravitational acceleration varies.
 2. Everyday forces

Thrust
Archimedes’ principle.
Thrust is equal to the weight
of the fluid it displaces.

Normal force

The normal force is the force the

solid surfaces exert on bodies
supported on them. According to
the action-reaction law, the
surface exerts a force equivalent
to the object’s weight, but in
opposite direction.
 2. Everyday forces
Tension force
Tension (T) is the reaction force
exerted by ropes, cables or strings. If
we hang an object from a pulley or if
we pull on a rope, tension appears as
a response to the force applied.
Friction
Frictional forces (FR) are produced when a body
interacts with its surroundings through friction.
These forces act always opposing to motion.
They appear between a body and a surface and
present an electrostatic nature. The magnitude
of the frictional forces is proportional to the
weight.
2. Everyday forces

Friction
Frictional forces (FR) are produced when a body
interacts with its surroundings through friction.
These forces act always opposing to motion.
They appear between a body and a surface and
present an electrostatic nature. The magnitude
of the frictional forces is proportional to the
weight.
 3. Force Diagrams

A force diagram (free body diagram) is an illustration of all the forces applied on the body, which allows
to determine the magnitude and direction of the net force (,- ).

!" = $ !% = !& + !( + !) + ··· + !+

 4. Hooke’s law

Elastic force is directly proportional to the

deformation of an elastic body. The elastic force
is opposite of the force causing the
deformation:

The elastic constant (k), is the main feature of

a spring and indicates its elasticity (how easy is
Robert Hooke (1635-1703) to cause deformation). It is measured in N/m.

The elastic force is also known as restoring force,

since it is the force exerted by a spring to revert back
to its initial shape (equilibrium position).
5. Newton’s Laws

First Law: Law of Inertia

If there’s no force, or the resultant force applied to an object is zero, the
object will be at rest or moving with a URM.

Second Law: Fundamental Law of Dynamics

The force that acts on an object is directly proportional to the
acceleration.

Isaac Newton (1643-1727) Third Law: Law of Action-Reaction

For every action force, there’s an equal and
opposite reaction force.
 6. Simple Machines
A simple machine is a mechanical device that transforms forces.

Lever
Pulley
Wheel and axle

Wedge
Inclined plane Screw
6. Simple Machines

Law of the lever

The product of each force and its
arm is constant.

!" · $" = !& · $&

Fulcrum: It is the point of attachment.