Link up the force types with a

pictures. Explain your choices!

Forces
Tension force
Frictional force

Reaction force
Magnetic force

Weight force
Air Resistance force

Electrostatic force
Upthrust force
Thrust force
 KS3 Physics

Forces and
their Effects

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24 © Boardworks Ltd 2005
2004
 Forces
L.O.: Explain how forces can affect objects.
• Must: know that a force is the push, pull
or twisting of an object.
• Should: be able to name some contact and
non-contact forces and know the difference
between the two.
• Could: explain using examples of how
forces can affect the shape, speed and
direction of an object.
 What is a force?
A force is a push or a pull. A force cannot be seen but you can see how a force
affects an object.
What type of force?
 When forces are balanced
balanced forces
10 N 10 N

If you link two newton meters and pull equally hard from both ends, the forces
recorded on both will be the same.

The forces acting on the central hooks cancel each other out – they are equal in
magnitude (size) and opposite in direction.

Because the forces are balanced the hooks do not move.

 When forces are unbalanced
unbalanced forces
11 N 10 N
movement

What happens if the pull on one end is greater than the pull on the other end?

The forces acting on the hooks are no longer balanced.

Both hooks will start to move to the left – their speed will change. This is called
acceleration.

Unbalanced forces lead to a change in speed or direction.

Balanced or unbalanced forces?
In which direction will these stationary objects move?
 Which forces are contact forces
and which are non-contact forces?
Forces
Tension force
Frictional force

Reaction force
Magnetic force

Weight force
Air Resistance force

Electrostatic force
Upthrust force
Thrust force
Forces
Contact and non-contact forces

• A contact force is a push or a pull on one object

by another object that is touching it.

• An applied force is a type of contact force in which

one object directly pushes or pulls on another
object. For example, in tug of war, you apply a
pulling force to the rope.

• A spring force (or elastic force) is the force

exerted by a bending or stretching object on any
object that is attached to it.
Forces
What are some contact forces?
• Friction is the force an object exerts on
another object that moves across it. The
force of friction is always in the opposite
direction to the motion of the object.
Friction tries to slow an object’s motion.

• Air resistance is a type of contact force

that air exerts on moving objects. Like
friction, air resistance tends to oppose the
motion of an object.
Forces
From a Distance
What are some non-contact forces?
• A force that pushes or pulls on an object without
touching it is called a non-contact force.

• A magnetic force is a non-contact force that

exists between certain materials, such as
magnetised iron. The force may be attractive (like
a pull) or repulsive (like a push).
Forces
What are some non-contact forces?
• An electrical force acts between objects
that are electrically charged. It is a type of
non-contact force.

• Objects with like charges tend to repel

(push) one another. Objects with unlike
charges attract (pull) one another.

• Gravitational force is a non-contact force

of attraction that exists between any two
objects that have mass. On Earth, we
experience gravity as a downward force.
 Which forces are contact forces
and which are non-contact forces?
Forces
Tension force
Frictional force

Reaction force
Magnetic force

Weight force
Air Resistance force

Electrostatic force
Upthrust force
Thrust force
 Forces

Watch the following video clip.

Either by yourself or with a partner,
discuss what forces can do to objects.
Forces
 Forces
Forces : forces
are basically
• the speed of an object
just pushes, • the direction that an
pulls and Forces can change:- object is moving in
twists! • the shape of an object.
We measure
forces in
Newtons (N).

The bat slows down the ball (speed change). The ball gets squashed on impact
(changes shape). The bat redirects the ball (changes direction) and the ball
speeds up again (speed change).
 Forces
Demonstrate you can do these!
• Must: know that a force is the push, pull
or twisting of an object.
• Should: be able to name some contact and
non-contact forces and know the difference
between the two.
• Could: explain using examples of how
forces can affect the shape, speed and
direction of an object.
Review Forces
Stand Up – Hands Up

You have to Hi-5 at least 3 other people in the classroom and tell them
something new you have learned today. They will then tell you
something different that they have learned today.

and Reflect