LESSON-5 Exploring Forces
[Link] is Force?
Answer: A force is a push or pull on an object resulting from its interaction with
another object.
The SI unit of force is newton (N).
2. What are the effects of force?
Answer:Force can produce the following effects:
It may make an object move from rest.
It may change the speed of a moving object.
It may change the direction of motion.
It may change the shape of an object.
A force may cause one or more of these effects.
3. What is Resultant Force?
Ans: The resultant force (or net force) is the force that represents the combined
effect of all the forces acting on an object.
(i) Forces in the same direction:
Net force = Sum of forces
Example:
F₁ = 2 N, F₂ = 2 N
Net force = 2 + 2 = 4 N (same direction)
(ii) Forces in opposite directions:
Net force = Difference of forces
Example:
F₁ = 2 N, F₂ = 2 N
Net force = 2 − 2 = 0 N (object will not move)
5. What is contact force? Give examples.
Answer: Forces that act only when objects are in physical contact are called
contact forces.
Examples:
Muscular force
Mechanical force
Frictional force
6. What is muscular force?
Answer: The force produced by the action of muscles is called muscular force.
Examples: Riding a bicycle, Pushing a table
7. What is friction?
Answer: The force which always opposes the motion of one object over another
object in contact with it, is called friction.
Eg: writing with pen, book lying on the table.
The force of friction always acts in a direction opposite to the direction in which
an object moves (or tends to move)
[Link] causes friction?
Cause of friction : Friction is caused by the interlocking of irregularities in the
surfaces of two objects which are in contact with each other.
In order to move one object over the other, we have to apply force to overcome
interlocking.
9. What are the factors affecting friction?
Answer: Friction depends on:
Nature of surfaces (smooth or rough)
Rougher surfaces produce more friction
10. Does friction act in liquids and gases?
Answer: Yes, liquids and gases also exert friction on moving objects.
Objects like aeroplanes and ships are designed with streamlined shapes
to reduce this friction.
11. What is non-contact force? Give examples.
Answer: Forces that act without physical contact are called non-contact forces.
Examples:
Magnetic force
Electrostatic force
Gravitational force
12. What is magnetic force?
Answer: Magnetic force is the force exerted by a magnet on another magnet or
magnetic material without contact.
13. What are static charges?
Answer: When objects are rubbed together, electric charges build up on their
surfaces. These are called static charges.
Like charges repel each other
Unlike charges attract each other
14. What is electrostatic force?
Answer: The force exerted by a charged body on another charged or uncharged
body is called electrostatic force.
15. What is gravitational force?
Answer: Gravitational force is the force of attraction between any two objects in
the universe.
16. What is force of gravity?
Answer: The force with which the Earth attracts objects towards its centre is
called gravity.
17. How are magnetic and electrostatic forces different from gravitational force?
Answer: Gravitational force is always attractive, while magnetic and electrostatic
forces can be either attractive or repulsive.
18. What happens when an object is thrown upward and comes down under
gravity?
Answer:
The object slows down while moving upward.
It stops momentarily at the highest point.
Then it falls downward with increasing speed due to gravity.
19. Two balloons rubbed with a woollen cloth are brought near each other.
What would happen and why?
Answer: When two balloons are rubbed with a woollen cloth and brought near
each other, they will repel each other. This happens because both balloons will
acquire same typeof charge when rubbed with wool, and like charges repel.
20. If a ball is thrown upwards, it slows down, stops momentarily, and then falls
back to the ground. Name the forces acting on the ball and specify their
directions.
(i) During its upward motion
(ii) During its downward motion
(iii) At its topmost position
Answer:
When a ball is thrown upwards, the only force acting on it throughout its entire
motion is gravity, which pulls it downwards..
(i) During its upward motion: The force of gravity is downwards, opposing the
upward motion of the ball, causing it to slow down.
(ii) During its downward motion: The force of gravity is still downwards, but now
it aligns with the ball’s direction of motion, accelerating it downwards.
(iii) At its topmost position: At this point, the force of gravity is still downwards,
but since the ball is not moving upwards or downwards, it has no net effect on the
ball’s motion.
21. A ball is released from the point P and moves along an inclined plane and
then along a horizontal surface as shown in the figure. It comes to a stop at
point A on the horizontal surface. Think of a way so that when the ball is
released from the same point P, it stops (i) before the point A, (ii) after crossing
the point A.
Answer:
The ball’s motion is governed by the forces of gravity and friction. On the inclined
plane, gravity provides the acceleration for the motion. On the horizontal surface,
only friction acts on the ball.
(i) To make the ball stop before point A:
• Increase the friction on the horizontal surface.
• You can place a rougher surface like a carpet or cloth on the horizontal part.
This will create more friction, which will slow the ball down more quickly and
make it stop before point A.
(i) To make the ball stop after crossing point A:
• Decrease the friction on the horizontal surface.
• Use a smoother surface like polished glass, plastic, or tile. This reduces
friction, allowing the ball to roll further and stop after point A.
22. Why do we sometimes slip on smooth surfaces like ice or polished floors?
Explain.
Answer: When we walk on surfaces like ice, we often slip, which means we lose
our balance and fall. This happens because the force that helps us stay upright
and move forward (friction) is not enough. These surfaces have fewer
irregularities. Minimizing the contact area and the force of friction between the
surface and our shoes makes it easier to slide instead of grip. A layer of water,
even a thin one on ice, can further reduce friction by acting as a lubricant, making
the surface even more slippery.
Question 23. Is any force being applied to an object in a non-uniform motion?
Answer: Yes, for an object to be in non-uniform motion, a force must be acting
upon it. Non-uniform motion, also known as accelerated motion, means the
object’s velocity is changing, either in speed or direction, or both. This change in
velocity requires a force to be applied.
24. Why do we sometimes slip on smooth surfaces like ice or polished floors?
Explain.
Ans: We sometimes slip on smooth surfaces like ice or polished floors because
they offer very little friction. Friction is a contact force that helps our feet grip the
ground when we walk. On smooth surfaces, the irregularities between our feet
and the floor are minimal, so the force of friction is reduced. With less friction, it
becomes harder to maintain balance and grip, making the surface even more
slippery.
25. Is any force being applied to an object in a non-uniform motion?
Ans: Yes, for an object to be in non-uniform motion, a force must be acting upon
it . Non-uniform motion means the object’s speed or direction is changing,
and any change in speed or direction requires the action of a force