FORM 4 Chapter 2: Forces and Motion

Learning Objective:
2.9 Analysing Forces in Equilibrium

Forces in Equilibrium

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 Forces in Equilibrium
A book is resting on a table.
What the forces are acting on the book?

Physics
TRK

SPM

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium
Although the book is lying stationary on the table,
that does not mean that there are no forces at
work.

Physics
TRK

SPM

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium
There are two forces acting upon the book.
The first force is the Earth’s gravitational pull.
This exerts a downward force, called the weight,
on the book.

Pysics
TRK

SPM

mg Weight of book

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium
According to Newton’s third law of motion:
For every action, there is an equal and opposite
reaction.

Physics
TRK

SPM

mg Weight of book

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium
Therefore, the weight of the book acting
downwards causes a reaction force acting
upwards from the table.

R Normal reaction

Physics
TRK

SPM

mg Weight of book

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium
Since these two forces are of equal magnitude and
act in opposite directions, they balance each other.
The forces are in equilibrium. There is no
resultant force.
R Normal reaction
R = mg
Physics
TRK

SPM

mg Weight of book

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium
Since
Herethese two forces
is another are ofofequal
example magnitude
forces in and
act in opposite directions, they balance each other.
equilibrium.
The forces are in equilibrium. There is no
resultant force.
R Normal reaction
R = mg
Physics
TRK

SPM

mg Weight of book

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium

A girl standing on Normal

the ground: reaction
of floor
Two forces act on the girl.
The two forces balance
each other.
There is no resultant
force.
The girl is in equilibrium.

Weight of girl

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium
Since these two forces are of equal magnitude and
act in opposite directions, they balance each other.
The book remains at rest. It is in equilibrium.

R Normal reaction

Physics
TRK

SPM

mg Weight of book

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium
Now, suppose the book is pulled along the table.
It is now moving across the table with uniform
velocity.
What are the forces acting on the book?

Physics
Pulling force F
TRK

SPM

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium
The weight of the book acts downwards.
The normal reaction acts in the opposite direction.
The resultant force along the vertical direction is
zero.
R Normal reaction
R = mg
Pulling force F
Physics
TRK

SPM

mg Weight of book

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium
A frictional force acts in the opposite direction of
the pulling force.
A frictional force exists between two surfaces in
contact to oppose any motion.
R Normal reaction

Frictional Physics
Pulling force F
TRK

SPM
force

mg Weight of book

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium
As the book is moving with constant velocity, the
resultant force in the horizontal direction is also zero.
The book is also in equilibrium.

R Normal reaction

Frictional Physics
Pulling force F
TRK

SPM
force

mg Weight of book

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium
Now, if the book is moving on a table with smooth
surface, we can assume that there is no friction.
The book is not in equilibrium.

R Normal reaction

Frictional Physics
Pulling force F
TRK

SPM
force

mg Weight of book

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium
There is a resultant force pulling the book forward.
This causes the book to move with acceleration a:
F = ma

R Normal reaction

Physics
Pulling force F
TRK

SPM

mg Weight of book

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium
Now, consider a wooden block resting on an inclined
plane.
What are the forces acting on the wooden block?

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium
The weight of the wooden block acts downwards.
We can resolve the force into two component
forces.

mg

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 Forces in Equilibrium
The weightFof
A force canthebe
wooden block
resolved acts
into twodownwards.
We can resolve
component the force
forces intoare
which twoperpendicular
component
forces.
to each other.

Vertical F
component

Horizontal
mg
component

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium
The weight of
Suppose theangle
the woodenthe block
force acts downwards.
F makes with
We can
the horizontal is force
resolve the . into two component
forces.

Vertical
component
F
F sin 

F cos  Horizontal
mg component

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium
The weight of
Suppose theangle
the woodenthe block
force acts downwards.
F makes with
We can
the horizontal is force
resolve the . into two component
forces.

F
F sin 

F cos 
mg

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium
The weight of the wooden block acts downwards.
Let us resolve the weight into two perpendicular
components.

mg

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 Forces in Equilibrium
Suppose the angle of inclination of the inclined plane
is .
So, the two component forces are mg cos  and
mg sin .


 mg mg cos 

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 Forces in Equilibrium
One component of the weight of the wooden block is
balanced by the normal reaction R:
R = mg cos 
Reaction R

mg cos 

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium
The other component of the weight is balanced by
the frictional force F:
F = mg sin 
Reaction R
Friction F

mg cos 

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 Forces in Equilibrium
Therefore, the forces acting on the stationary
wooden block are in equilibrium.

Reaction R
Friction F

mg cos 

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd

 End of presentation

Teacher’s Resource Kit Physics SPM  Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd