Forces and Motion: The Revision Guide
Visit me for extra revision:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zttfyrd/revision/1
Lesson 1: An Introduction to forces
A force occurs when there is interaction between objects. Focus can either be felt in
the form of a push or a pull. Forces act in pairs, pulling in opposite directions. Forces
are measured using a newton meter or force meter or spring balance.
Forces are measured in Newtons (N). Forces are represented by an arrow. Whatever
direction the arrow is pointing signifies the direction of the force and the size of the
arrow represents the magnitude of the arrow.
The Resultant Force
The resultant force is the overall force. If two forces are acting in the same direction,
the resultant force is the sum of all the forces. If two forces are acting in opposite
directions, the resultant force is the difference between the forces.
There are 2 types of forces: contact forces and non-contact forces
Contact Forces
Contact forces are forces that need to be in contact with each other in order to
produce a product. Examples include:
• Friction
• Air Resistance
• Tension
Non-Contact Forces
Non-contact forces are examples of forces that do not need to be in contact with
each other for each of the objects to be able to move. Examples include:
• Magnetic forces
• Gravitational forces
• Static electricity
A force acting on an object can have one of the following consequences:
• A change in direction
• A change in speed
• A change in shape
Examples of Common Forces
▪ Gravity- Gravity is a non—contact pulling force. Any object with mass
will exert a gravitational pull, attracting objects to itself
▪ Friction- Friction is the contact force exerted when two objects collide,
and their particles rub against each other.
▪ Electrostatic forces- These forces are caused by charged objects
attracting or repelling) each other
▪ Magnetism- The force caused by magnetic objects attracting or
repelling other magnetic objects
▪ Upthrust/Buoyancy- the difference in pressure above and below an
object
▪ Surface Tension- this is caused by water molecules attracting each
other
Lesson 2: How to measure forces
Equation!
Weight= mass x gravity (10N)
Mass vs Weight➔ Mass is the amount of matter in an object and is measured, for
humans and most objects, in grams (g) or kilograms (kg). An object’s mass remains
constant regardless of its position on this planet or any other celestial bodies.
Weight, however, is the force of gravity acting upon an object. It is measured in
Newtons (N) and is measured with a Newton meter (take note of the space
between ‘Newton’ and ‘meter’). Weight can vary, depending on your location.
How to use a Newton Meter
➢ First, ensure that the apparatus is calibrated properly and is on 0 Newtons, in
order to avoid a zero error.
➢ Take the hook and loop it onto the object you are measuring
➢ Pull or lift the object, wait for the needle to stabilise, and record the
information
Lesson 3: Speed
Equations!
1. Average Speed = Distance ÷ Time.
2. Distance = Average Speed × Time.
3. Time = Distance ÷ Average Speed.
Speed is measured in m/s or km/h. Meters is a measure of distance and
seconds are a measure of time.
Average speed is used because during the course of motion, the object’s speed
could increase or decrease. If you are drawing a graph, time goes on an x-axis and
the distance goes on the y-axis. The motion of an object is represented using a
distance-time graph.
Relative Motion
You do not need this for your assessment, I just thought it might come in handy so
do not ignore it!
Relative Motion is the change of position with time of one object to another. The
following explains how to work out the relative speed of one object in comparison
to the other:
Objects moving in the same direction Fastest Speed - Slowest Speed
towards, or away from, each other
Objects moving in opposite directions Add the values together
towards, or away from, each other
Lesson 4: Friction
o Newton’s First Law of Motion: A moving object will not change in
direction or speed unless acted upon by another force
o Newton’s Third Law of Motion: Every action has an equal and
opposite reaction
Friction is a contact force that is experienced when two collide and their particles
rub against each other (technically, particles don’t touch each other because their
outer shells, or electrons, repel each other but we will say rub against each other for
the sake of argument). It always opposes the direction of the object that causes it.
Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion involves friction. If the force of friction is the same as the
force that the object is experiencing, the object will continue to move at the same
speed that it was moving at: Newton’s first Law of Motion.
Rougher surfaces generate more friction than smoother surfaces because they have
a larger surface are for the particles to ‘collide’ with.
The following are instances where friction should be maximised or minimised:
Reduce Friction Maximise Friction
Aerodynamics in cars and planes Holding bike handles
Streamlining in boats and marine animals Train tracks
Lubricants in cars, ice, soap, and water Tyre treads- rugged surface
Water Slides Soles of shoes
Lesson 5: Balanced and Unbalanced forces
Balanced forces are equal in size and act in opposite directions. If a stationary
object has balanced forces, the object will remain stationary. If a moving object has
balanced forces, it will move at a constant speed in the same direction. In both of
these scenarios, the resultant force will be zero.
Unbalanced forces are not equal in size. They cause a change in motion. If an
object is stationary, it will start to move off. If an object is already moving, it will
change its speed.
These can be represented using force arrows. Whatever direction the arrow is
pointing signifies the direction of the force and the length of the arrow represents
the magnitude of the force.
A couple of force diagrams
Terminal Velocity
Terminal Velocity is the maximum speed an object can reach whilst freefalling in
the air without external assistance, excluding gravity and friction. When it is only
these forces acting on the object, they will eventually become balanced and
Newton’s First Law of Motion is observed.
The surface area of an object can affect the air resistance so- on Earth- an object
with a larger surface area will experience a larger air resistance, so it will likely have
a lower terminal velocity.
On the moon, however, since there is no atmosphere or air resistance, the terminal
velocity of all objects will be the same.
Lesson 6: Moments
Moment= Force x Distance from the pivot
Moments are turning forces. They can be calculated using the equation above. The
units for moments are Nm or Ncm- Newtonmeters and Newtoncentimeters. To
calculate the total turning force on one side of a pivot with 2 or more objects, add
one object’s force*distance to the other’s force*distance. If the moment on both
sides of the pivot are the same, the object will balance.
That is all the content you need for the assessment on Monday. Mae sure you visit
the BBC Bitesize link at the top of the Guide for more help if you are stuck
Other Equations
Pressure = force/area
Pressure is measured in Pascals or Pa
