After reading these notes, test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

Forces

We feel forces as a push or pull. Forces happen in pairs that are equal and opposite.

Forces

Forces

  • Forces happen when there is an interaction between objects.
  • We feel forces as either a push or a pull.
    • You can ‘push’ open a door.
    • You can ‘pull’ a sleigh.
  • We feel forces as pairs that act in opposite directions.
  • Forces can be measured using a Newton metre, which is sometimes called a force metre or spring balance.
Representing forces

Representing forces

  • Forces are measured in Newtons (N).
  • We can represent a force with an arrow.
    • The way the arrowhead points represents the direction of the force.
    • The size of the arrow represents the magnitude of the force.
Resultant forces

Resultant forces

  • 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.
Jump to other topics
1

Biology

1.1

Cells, Tissues & Organs

1.2

Reproduction & Variation

1.3

Ecological Relationships & Classification

1.4

Digestion & Nutrition

1.5

Plants & Photosynthesis

1.6

Biological Systems & Processes

2

Chemistry

2.1

Particles

2.2

Chemical Reactions

2.3

Atoms, Elements, Compounds

2.4

The Periodic Table

2.5

Materials & the Earth

2.6

Reactivity

2.7

Energetics

2.8

Properties of Materials

3

Physics

3.1

Energy

3.2

Forces & Motion

3.3

Waves

3.4

Electricity & Magnetism

3.5

Matter

3.6

Space Physics

4

Disciplinary Knowledge

Practice questions on Forces

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
Answer all questions on Forces

Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium

  • Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions

  • Mini-mock exams based on your study history

  • Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books

Get started with Seneca Premium