Forces & vector diagrams (Edexcel GCSE Physics Combined Science): Flashcards

📚Flashcards
Forces & vector diagrams
Sign up to keep revising.Create a free account to study more flashcards and track your progress.

Practise the cards

12 cards from this deck

Show

Definition of a force

A push or pull from interaction with another object

Forces as vectors

They have magnitude (size) and direction

Gravitational force

Force of attraction between two masses

Normal force

Support force exerted by a surface

Frictional force

Force resisting motion of surfaces sliding past each other

Tension force

Force transmitted through string/rope/wire pulled tight

What vector diagrams show

Forces using arrows (length=strength, direction=way)

Tip-to-tail method

Connect forces end-to-end to find resultant force

Object in equilibrium (forces)

When resultant force equals 00 (balanced forces)

Equilibrium on vector diagram

Tip-to-tail forces form a closed shape (triangle)

Splitting forces into components

Split angled forces into horizontal & vertical (right angles)

Methods to find component sizes

Scale grid drawing or trigonometry

Join 100,000+ GCSE students studying Flashcards with us.

Select your subjects, and get access to A+ resources today.