Force is among the significant elements found in the physical world. Force leads to movement, acceleration or deformation of an object. Irrespective of whether it is the lightest touch or a meteor collision, forces are abundant in the universe. In this paper, the concept of force will be discussed. The discussion will focus on the different types of force, methods of measuring force and some of its applications.
Concept of Force
Force can be defined as the physical property that acts upon an object leading to the movement, acceleration or changes in the direction of the object. Scientists describe force as the vector quantity, which means force depends on the magnitude and direction. Physicists usually denote force by letter F. Force is the basic building block of the three laws of Newton. The Newton laws help scientists predict the movements of an object under various circumstances. Based on whether it acts directly on an object or indirectly on the object, there are two kinds of forces namely contact forces and non-contact forces. Contact forces include forces such as friction, tension and normal. Gravitational, magnetic and electric force are indirect forces.
Types of Forces
Several types of forces exist. These forces include:
Friction force – This force occurs as contact force that prevents motion between two surfaces. There are two categories of the frictional force including static friction force which prevents movement of objects and kinetic friction force which resists movement of objects.
Normal force – Contact force occurs as normal force when it acts perpendicular to the surface of an object. The purpose of normal force is to stop the separation of the object from the surface.
Tension force – It occurs as a contact force whereby the objects tend to separate from each other. Tension force causes stretching of an object especially rope.
Gravitational force – Non-contact force which tends to bring masses together. Gravitational force keeps masses on the surface of Earth and causes falling.
Measurement of Force
Force is measured using units of Newton (N). Newton is the standardized unit of measurement of force in the International System of Units (SI units). Newton can be defined as the amount of force required to cause an object of mass 1kg to accelerate at a rate of 1m/s2. Force can be measured using:
Spring balance – Used to measure the force exerted on a spring.
Force sensor – Uses electronic technology to determine the force applied on an object.
Dynamometer – Engineers use dynamometer to measure force exerted by an engine on a device.
Applications of Force
Forces have wide range of application. The following are some of the main applications of forces:
Engineering – Forces are helpful in design of bridges and buildings.
Physics – Forces help us understand behavior of objects during projectile and rotational motions.
Sports – Force enables us analyze performance of athletes and give them recommendations for improvement.
Medicine – Forces aid us in describing motions of objects and provision of required information in the development of medicines.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is evident that force plays significant role in the physical world. Based on whether the force applies directly or indirectly, forces are classified into contact forces and non-contact forces. In addition, force plays vital role in engineering, sports, medicine and physics.
