Free Body Diagrams (AQA GCSE Physics)

Tension

• Tension is:

The force experienced by a cable, rope, or string when pulled, hung, rotated or supported

• This is normally labelled as T on free body diagrams

Tension always acts away from the mass

Normal Contact Force

• The normal contact force is:

The force arising when an object rests against another object acting at a 90° angle to the plane of contact

• It is sometimes also referred to as the reaction force
• This is normally labelled as N or R on free body diagrams
• This force arises from Newton's Third Law

Normal contact force always acts perpendicular to the surface

Upthrust

• Upthrust is:

The upward buoyancy force acting on an object when it is in a fluid

• Upthrust can occur in liquids and gases

Upthrust always acts upwards

Friction

• Friction is:

The force that arises when two surfaces are in contact with each other

• Friction always opposes the motion
• This is normally labelled as F or Fr on free body diagrams

Friction always acts at the point where the objects are in contact, and in the opposite direction to the direction of motion

• Free body diagrams are useful for modelling the forces that are acting on an object
• Each force is represented as a vector arrow, where each arrow:
  • Is scaled to the magnitude of the force it represents
  • Points in the direction that the force acts
  • Is labelled with the name of the force it represents

• Free body diagrams can be used:
  • To identify which forces act in which plane
  • To resolve the net force in a particular direction

Free body diagrams can be used to show the various forces acting on objects

Part (a)

• • The size of the arrows should be such that the 3 forces would make a closed triangle as they are balanced

Part (b)

• • There are three forces acting on the box
  • The normal contact force, R, acts perpendicular to the slope
  • Friction, F, acts parallel to the slope and in the opposite direction to the direction of motion
  • Weight, W, acts down towards the Earth

Part (c)

• • As the boat is not moving, the size of both arrows must be the same

Part (d)

• • As the car is accelerating, the size of the thrust must be larger than the size of the friction force
  • As in part (c), the upwards and downwards forces must be equal

Step 1: Draw the object in a simplified diagramStep 2: Identify all of the forces acting upon the object in the question, including any forces that may be implied

• • Weight: 30N down
  • Upthrust from the water (since the object is floating): 30N up
  • Applied force: 35N to the right

• • An approximation can be made as to the final resultant force due to all of the forces
    • Decide whether the resultant force is approximately up or down
    • Decide whether the resultant force is approximately left or right
    • For example: The resultant force is directed up and to the right