FORCE

Definition of Force
 Force refers to a push or a pull that result from interaction of bodies.
 It is that which changes the state of motion of a body.
 The SI unit of force is the newton (N).
 Force has both magnitude and direction and is represented by a straight line with an arrow as
shown below.

 The length of the line shows the magnitude of the force while the arrow head shows the
direction of the force.
Effects of Force
i. Force can make stationary object move.
ii. It can increase speed of moving object.
iii. It can stop a moving object.
iv. It can decrease speed of moving object.
v. It can change shape of an object (i.e. can deform an object).
vi. It can make an object turn about a fixed point (pivot). This is called turning effect of force.
vii. It can change the direction of a moving object.
Types of force
CONTACT FORCES
There are forces which act only when objects are in contact with one another
EXAMPLES
 Tensional force
 Upthrust force
 Frictional force
 Cohesive and adhesive force
 Surface tension
 Action and reaction
NON- CONTACT FORCES
There are forces which act even if objects are not in contact with one another. E.g
 Gravitational force
 Centripetal force
 Electrostatic force
 Magnetic force
1. Gravitational Force
 It refers to the force of attraction between any two bodies e.g. force of attraction between the
earth and the moon.
 Gravitational force is a non-contact force.
Gravitational Force of the Earth
 It is the force of attraction on bodies toward the centre of the earth.

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 Weight- is the gravitational pull on a body towards the earth’s surface

Factors affecting gravitational force

i) Masses of the objects - The larger the masses the stronger the gravitational force.
ii) Distance of separation between the two objects. The longer the distance of separation the
weaker gravitational force.
Example 1
a) What are non-contact forces?
They are forces which act even if objects are not in contact with one another.
b) Explain why a ball thrown upwards returns back to the ground
It is due to attraction by earth’s gravitational force
c) The figure below shows two objects of mass m1and m2 acted upon by a force F

Identify force F Gravitational force

2. Centripetal Force
 This is a force which maintains a body to move in a circular orbit or path.
 It is directed towards the centre of the circular orbit / track.
Examples of situations in which centripetal force acts include:
 Whirling a stone tied to a string.

 The earth revolving around the sun along it is orbit.

 Centrifuge used to separate ghee from milk.
 A car moving round a circular track or road (corner).
3. Magnetic force
 Magnetic force is the force of attraction or repulsion due to a magnet.
 It is non-contact force.
 Magnetic attraction occurs between a magnet and a magnetic material or between unlike
poles of a magnet while repulsion occurs between like poles of magnet.

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4. Upthrust force ( buoyancy)
 Upthrust is an upward force acting on objects immersed in fluids (liquids or gases).
 Upthrust can also be defined as the apparent loss in weight of a body immersed in a liquid or
gas.
Upthrust on a body=weight of body ∈air−weight of body ∈fluid
 Upthrust is a contact force.

Examples of situations in which upthrust force acts include:

 Balloons to rising
 Swimmers and boats floating
 Bodies immersed in liquids weighing less than their weight in air.
Example 2 A body weighs 100 N in air and 80 N when submerged in water. Calculate the
upthrust acting on it.
Upthrust on a body=weight of body ∈air−weight of body ∈fluid
¿ 100 N−80 N =20 N

5. Frictional Force
 This is a force that opposes motion between two surfaces that are in contact.
 Frictional force in fluids (liquid and gases) is called viscous drag (viscosity).
 Frictional force is a contact force and it acts in the direction opposite to that of motion of
the body.

Advantages of Frictional Force

Frictional force helps in:
a) Writing.
b) Braking.

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c) Walking.
d) Erasing.
e) Lighting a match stick etc
Disadvantages of Frictional Force
a) Causes wear and tear.
b) Hinders motion.
c) Produces unwanted heat.
d) Produces unwanted sound.
Methods of Reducing Frictional Force
 Oiling and greasing.
 Using rollers.
 Streamlining bodies.
 Smoothening surfaces.
 Using ball bearings.
 Air cushioning

6. Electrostatic Force
 Electrostatic force is the force of attraction or repulsion between electrically charged bodies.
 It is non-contact force. There are two types of electrical charges (positive and negative).
 Attraction occurs between unlike charges i.e. positive and negative while repulsion occurs
between like charges.

Examples of situations in which electrostatic force acts include:

a) A plastic ruler or pen rubbed with piece of dry cloth or hair attracts pieces of paper.
b) A wiped glass window rapidly attracts dust due to charges left on them during wiping.
c) Polished shoes rapidly attract dust due to charges left on them during brushing.
d) A nylon cloth produces crackling sound and sticks on the body when being removed etc.

7. Action and Reaction Forces

 Action and reaction are two equal forces acting in opposite directions.
 They are contact forces.
 When a block of wood is placed on a table, its weight (action) acts on the table. The reaction
of the table (opposite force) acts on the block.

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 8. Nuclear Force
 This is a force that binds protons and neutrons in atomic nuclei.
 Nuclear force is a contact force.
9. Tension Force
 It is a force which acts on stretched bodies which can be either pull or compression at the ends.
 Tension is as a result of two opposing forces applied one at each end of a body.
 It is a contact force.

10. Surface Tension

 Surface tension is defined as the force which causes the surface of water to behave like a thin
elastic skin.
Molecular Explanation of Surface Tension
 A molecule deep in the liquid is surrounded by liquid on all sides so that the net force on it is
zero. A molecule on the surface has fewer molecules on the vapour side and therefore will
experience a resultant inward force, causing the surface of the liquid to be in tension.

Examples of situations in which surface tension force acts include:

i) A steel razor blade or needle floats when carefully placed on water although steel is
denser than water.

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ii) A glass of water can be filled with water above the brim without water pouring out. This
is due to surface tension on the surface of water.

iii) Bristles of a brush spread in water but cling together when the brush is retrieved out of
water. The clinging together of bristles is due to surface tension of water on the surface of
bristles.

iv) A drop of water from a burette or water tap grows and stretches out before it falls off due
to surface tension on the surface of the drop.
Note: Surface tension acts along the surface of a liquid so as to reduce surface area. This can be
illustrated by the following observations:
i) When bubble of soap is blown to the wide end of the funnel and the left with the upper
end, the bubble recedes slowly until it flattens to a film. It therefore makes its surface as
small as possible.

ii) When a film of a soap contained in a wire loop is punctured or pierced at point X as
shown below, the remaining part of the film acquires a minimum area. The thread is
therefore pulled from one side making a perfect curve. This is because of forces of
surface tension from one side only.

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Factors Affecting Surface Tension
i) Impurities
 Impurities reduce surface tension of a liquid. Soap (detergent) weakens the cohesive forces
between surface liquid molecules and therefore reducing surface tension.
ii) Temperature
 Temperature reduces surface tension of the liquid because it weakens cohesive force of
attraction between liquid molecules.
Consequences/Effects of surface tension
1. Water insects can rest on the surface of water without breaking the surface. The insects
skate across the surface at high speed.
2. Mosquito larvae float on water surface. Oiling the surface using kerosene lower surface
tension making larvae to sink.
11. Adhesion (adhesive force)
 Adhesion refers to the force of attraction between molecules of different kind e.g. force of
attraction between water and glass molecules.
Examples of situations in which adhesive force acts include:
1) Liquid wetting glass.
2) Paint sticking on wall.
3) Ink sticking on paper.
4) Chalk mark sticking on the board.

12. Cohesion (Cohesive Force)

 Cohesion refers to the force of attraction between molecules of same kind e.g. force of
attraction between water molecules.
Some Effects of Adhesive and Cohesive Forces
a) Capillary Tubes Dipped in Water

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 In both capillary tubes water curves upwards at the edge (wets glass).The rise of water up the
tube is due to adhesive forces between glass and water molecules being stronger than
cohesive force of attraction between water molecules.
 The upward curve is called concave meniscus.

b) Capillary Tubes Dipped in Mercury

 The level of mercury in capillary tubes is lower than that of mercury in the basin. Being
lowest in the narrow tube.
 In both capillary tubes mercury curves downwards at the edge (does not wet glass). This is
due to stronger cohesive force between mercury molecules than adhesive forces between
mercury and glass molecules.
 The downward curve is called convex meniscus
Water on Clean and Waxed glass surfaces

 When water is dropped on a clean piece of glass, it spreads because adhesive forces between
glass and water molecules are stronger than cohesive forces between water molecules.
 When water is dropped on waxed glass surface, it rolls into small droplets. This is because
waxing reduces adhesive force between water and glass molecules. Cohesive force becomes
greater than adhesive force.

Mass and Weight

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 Mass is defined as the quantity of matter in a body.
 Weight is the gravitational pull on a body. It is a force and therefore its SI unit is Newton
(N).
 The direction of action of weight on earth is towards the centre of the earth
Relationship between Mass and Weight
 Mass and weight are related as follows:
weight =mass ×acceleration due ¿ gravity
(Gravitational field strength)
W =Mg

Definition of acceleration due to gravity (g)

 It is defined as the gravitational force acting on a unit mass at a place.
 The SI unit of g (gravitational field strength) is the newton per kilogram (N/kg)
 Note: A graph of weight versus mass is a straight line through the origin and the slope of the
graph gives acceleration due to gravity, g i.e.

Differences between Mass and Weight

Mass Weight
The quantity of matter in an object body Gravitational pull on an object
The SI unit kg (kilogram) SI unit is the Newton
Constant everywhere Varies from place to place
A scalar quantity A vector quantity

Measured using a beam balance Measured using a spring balance

MEASURING FORCE
Force is measured using an instrument called a spring balance.
The extension of a spring can be used to measure an applied force. The larger the force, the more
the spring extends.

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A spring balance measures forces and should therefore calibrated in Newton.
Some spring balances are calibrated in kilograms. In such cases, one is advised to convert from
kilograms to Newton. (1Kg=10N)
EXAMPLE
3. The length of a spring is 16.0cm. Its length becomes 20.0cm when supporting a weight of
5.0N. Calculate the length the length of the spring when supporting a weight of; a) 2.5N
b)6.0N c)200N
Solution
a) 5N - 4cm b) 5N - 4cm c) 5N = 4cm 2.5N- ? 6N - ? 200N =?
2.5 x 4 6x4 200 x 4
=2cm =4.8cm = 160cm
5 5 5
2+16=18cm 4.8+16 = 20.8cm 160+16 =176cm
Note; In c) extension is too large and spring may straighten out.
4. A spring stretches by 8.0mm when supporting a load of 2.0N.(i) By how Much will it
stretch when supporting a load of 6.0N.
i) 8.0mm -2.0N
5x 8
=20mm
2
(ii) What load would make the spring extend by 2.5cm?
ii) 8.0mm -2.0N?-5.0N 25mm=?
25 x 2
= 6.25N
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5. State a reason as to why weight of a body varies from place to place on the earth’s
surface.
Gravitational field strength varies from one place to another on the earth’s surface being
strong at the poles and weak at the equator.
6. An object weighs 1000N on earth’s surface ( g=10 N /kg ¿
a) Calculate it’s mass.
w=mg
N
1000 N=m×10
kg
1000 N
m= =100 kg
10 N /kg

b) If the same object weighs 160N on the moon surface, find the gravitational field strength of
the moon.
W =mg
160=100× g
160
g= =1.60 N /kg
100
7. A mass of 7.5kg has a weight of 30N on a certain planet. Calculate the acceleration due
to gravity on this planet.
W =mg
30=7.5× g

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 30
g= =4 N /kg
7.5
8. A man has a mass of 70kg. calculate :
a) His weight on earth where the gravitational field strength is 10N/kg.
W =mg
70 ×10=700 N

b) His weight on moon where the gravitational field strength is 1.7N/kg.

W =mg
70 ×1.7=119 N

Scalar and Vector Quantities

Scalar Quantity
A scalar quantity is one with magnitude only but no direction e.g.
a) Time
b) Temperature
c) Energy
d) Speed
e) Area
f) Volume
g) Length
h) Mass
i) Distance.

Vector Quantity
A vector quantity is one with both magnitude and direction e.g.
i) Weight
ii) Force
iii) Velocity
iv) Momentum
v) Acceleration
vi) Displacement
If the weight of a car is 8000 N, 8000 gives magnitude of the weight, N is the SI unit and
direction is towards the centre of the earth.
Resultant vector
This is the sum of two or more vectors taking into account the direction of the vectors.
Example 9 Find the resultant force of the forces acting on a point object shown below.
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 (a)

Solution
(+ 4 N )+(+5 N )=+9 N

(b)

Solution
(−7 N )+(−3 N )+(+ 2 N )+¿

Example 10
a) The figure below shows two glass tubes of different diameter dipped in water.

b) Explain why h2 is greater than h1

i) Adhesive force in narrow tube is greater than adhesive force in wider tube.
ii) Volume of water in both tubes is the same hence the column of water in narrow
tube h2 is greater.
c) Name two forces that determine the shape of liquid drop on the solid surface
Cohesive and adhesive forces
d) Give a reason why weight of the body varies from place to place.
The gravitational field strength varies from place to place.
e) A metal bin was observed to float on the surface of pure water. However the pin
sank when a few drops of soap solution were added to the water. Explain this
observation.
Soap solution is an impurity. When added to water, it lowers the surface tension (by
dissolving) of water making the needle to sink.

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