Force and Its Effects
A component’s quality to modify the shape, size, or motion of an object is termed force. In other words, we can say that a force is an influence such as a push, gravity, or friction that causes an object either to change its Velocity or to energy-storing through deformation”. When an object is used, several forces will be acting on it. Here, we are going to discover a few more important topics related to forces, such as the effects of forces, what is meant by contact force, properties of forces, and other important concepts.
Sir Isaac Newton
Sir Isaac Newton PRS (25 December 1642 – 20 March 1726/27[a]) was an English mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, theologian, and author who was widely regarded as one of the greatest mathematicians and physicists of all time and among the most important scientists. He was a significant player in the Enlightenment thought movement.
Classical mechanics was founded by his book Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy), which was originally published in 1687. Newton also made significant advances to optics, and he shares credit for establishing infinitesimal calculus with German mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz.
Effects of Forces Explained
A force acting on an object, causes the chosen object to change its size and shape to start moving or decelerate and accelerate. When there’s an interaction between two objects, they exert a force on each other. We can say that these exerted forces are equal in size but opposite in direction. Since we have known that the force is a vector quantity, it has both magnitude and direction. In the cases, when the body is in motion the energy of its motion can be quantified as the momentum of the object that is the product of its velocity mass. And when the body is free to move, its velocity will be changed by the force of action.
Properties of Resultant Force
The resultant force is essential to change the object's velocity. If the resultant force acting on the object is equal to zero, the forces on the object are balanced. Next, if the acting on the object is ‘zero’ then: the object will always remain at a stationary position. In such a case we can say that the object will move at a speed that is steady in a straight line. If the resultant acting force on the object isn’t zero then: the object will be said to be either decelerated or accelerated.
What is Contact Force?
A contact force is a force, which occurs only when the objects are in contact with each other. The contact forces are found everywhere and it is responsible for the most visible interactions between macroscopic collections of matter. In a very simple way, the question of what is contact force can be answered as contact force is any kind of force that requires contact to occur.
What is a contact force example?
The type of force that occurs at the contact of the object is known as contact force. Examples of contact force can be seen in our day-to-day life like pushing a car up the hill, writing your name with a pen, or picking up a textbook from the table. These are all examples of contact force. These are also examples of continuous forces.
Magnitude of Force
The precise measurement of force is significant in many areas, for example, the engine thrust determination, the weighing of which is a structure that is large structures and testing materials. The force of magnitude is measured in Newton. Newton is defined as the force which is required to accelerate a mass of one kilogram at a rate of one meter per second.
The four basic forces found in nature are:
Gravitational Force: It is the attraction of force that is between any two bodies in the universe. It is said to be the weakest of all the forces and also the easiest to observe. It is always said to be attractive and has a range of infinite.
Magnetic Force: It can be said as the force which is between two magnets or we can say force on a placed magnet in a field of magnetic. It can be said as either repulsive or attractive.
The Nuclear Strong Force: It is said to be a strong force with a short range. It is said to be a force that is non-central which acts within the nucleus. It is not along directed with the line joining the centres of the particles interacting.
The Nuclear Force Which is Weak: Its range is known to be shorter than the strong force which is nuclear and this type of force is considered only for certain nuclear processes that are like radioactive beta decay.
State the Various Effects of Force
5 effects of force with examples are stated below:
A Force Can Set Any Stationary Object in Motion - When force is applied to a stationary object, the object tends to move in the direction in which force is applied. For example, when a force is applied to a stationary tennis ball, it will make the ball continue its motion in the direction of the applied force.
A Force Can Either Stop or Slow Down the Moving Object - Force needs to be applied to a moving object either to stop it or to slow down the object. For example, the motion of the moving ball can be stopped by applying external force.
Force is Applied to Change the Direction of Moving Body/Object - The direction of any moving object can be changed by applying the external force on that particular object. For example, the direction of the moving football can be changed by applying force at an angle.
The Shape of an Object Can Also be Changed by the Application of Force - Consider a rod that is circular in shape, by hammering the rod which is applying an external force, the shape of the rod can be turned into a flat sheet.
Force Can be Used to Change the Speed of the Moving Object - When we keep on pedalling the pedal of the bicycle, the speed of the bicycle increases. And when we apply the brake, the speed of the bicycle decreases.
The different effect of force for example is very common in our day-to-day life. Like we walk, we run, we play, we sit or at even times stand. In all of these activities, we have all seen the changing of the motion of the state. We are bringing some of the used objects to rest or we can say bringing it in motion.
Interesting Facts
Since ancient times, mankind has been attracted by the study of bodies in motion and their causes.
Aristotle (284–322 B.C. ), one of Ancient Greece's most prominent wise men, was one of the progenitors of this discipline, and his views were preserved until the Middle Ages.
Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) was able to mathematically characterize motion (Principle of Relativity), but he did not investigate the causes.
Years later, based on Galileo's findings, Isaac Newton (1643 – 1727) defined the sources of motion: forces.
Conclusion
This article has covered most of the important aspects regarding the effects of the force. We learned that, in physics, force is any interaction that, while unchallenged, changes the velocity or shape of an item. In this section, we studied all the related theories on this concept.
FAQs on Effects of Forces
1. What is a force and what are its main effects on an object?
A force is essentially a push or a pull that, when applied to an object, can alter its current state of motion or its physical shape. The primary effects of a force as per the CBSE syllabus include:
- Setting a stationary object into motion.
- Stopping or slowing down a moving object.
- Changing the direction of a moving object.
- Altering the speed of a moving object (acceleration or deceleration).
- Changing the shape or size of an object.
2. Can you provide real-world examples for each of the main effects of force?
Certainly. Here are some everyday examples of the effects of force:
- Starting motion: Applying force on the pedals of a bicycle to move it from a standstill.
- Stopping motion: A goalkeeper applying force with their hands to stop a moving football.
- Changing direction: A tennis player hitting a ball with a racquet to send it in a different direction.
- Changing speed: Pressing the accelerator in a car to apply more force from the engine, increasing its speed.
- Changing shape: Squeezing a lump of clay or dough, which changes its shape due to the force from your hands.
3. What is the difference between contact and non-contact forces?
The fundamental difference is whether physical touch is required. A contact force is a force that acts on an object only when it is in direct physical contact with it. Examples include frictional force, tensional force, and the normal force. In contrast, a non-contact force can influence an object from a distance without any physical touch. Prime examples are gravitational force, magnetic force, and electrostatic force.
4. How is the magnitude of a force measured, and what is its standard unit?
The magnitude of a force is typically measured using an instrument called a spring balance or a force meter. The standard international (S.I.) unit of force is the Newton (N). One Newton is defined as the amount of force required to give a mass of one kilogram an acceleration of one metre per second squared (1 N = 1 kg·m/s²).
5. Does a force always result in motion? Explain why or why not.
No, a force does not always cause an object to move. This is a common misconception. For motion to occur, the net force acting on the object must be unbalanced. If multiple forces acting on an object cancel each other out, they are called balanced forces. For example, when you push against a heavy wall, you apply a force, but the wall doesn't move because an equal and opposite force (from friction and its foundation) balances your push, resulting in zero net force.
6. How do the effects of a balanced force differ from those of an unbalanced force?
The effects are fundamentally different and are crucial for understanding motion.
- A balanced force results in zero net force on an object. Its effect is to cause no change in the object's state of motion. A stationary object will remain stationary, and a moving object will continue to move at a constant velocity (constant speed and direction).
- An unbalanced force results in a net force greater than zero. Its effect is to change the object's state of motion, causing it to accelerate, decelerate, or change its direction of movement.
7. Why does an object change its shape when a force is applied?
An object changes its shape because the applied force causes a rearrangement of the particles (atoms or molecules) that make up the object. The force can either push the particles closer together (compression) or pull them farther apart (stretching). This deformation can be temporary (elastic), like stretching a rubber band, or permanent (plastic), like bending a metal rod. The extent of the shape change depends on the material's properties and the magnitude of the force.
