STRUCTUR

ES
CHAPTER
9

Course: Australian Curriculum Year 10 Science
Definition of Force A push or a
pull
SI unit to measure force
newton (N) in a given direction
Remember Force is a vector!!

The effects of a Force
a) Change the motion of a body
(a change in speed and/or direction)

b) Changes shape of a body
(squash or extend)

The addition of Force vectors
If you consider a number of forces acting on an
object
the net force is the overall effect of these forces
Example a boy and a girl pull a Controller with
equal force in opposite directions.
The sum of the forces or net force is zero
80 N
80 N
The addition of Force vectors
If the girl increases her force to 100 N
the sum of the forces or net force changes
The net force is 20 N right
100 N
80 N
Balanced Forces
When the net force acting on an
object is zero
In terms of motion this means the
object will not accelerate
It can stay at a constant speed in a
straight line
OR it can stay at rest

Balanced Forces
Example balanced forces on a car at rest

Weight Force
20 000 N down
Reaction Force
20 000 N up
Balanced Forces
Example balanced forces on a car
moving at a constant velocity

Weight Force
20 000 N down
Reaction Force
20 000 N up
Driving Force
3000 N right
Friction
3000 N left
Unbalanced Forces
When the net force acting on an
object is NOT zero
In terms of motion this means the
object will accelerate
Within a building or structure this will
cause Failure

Unbalanced Forces
Example unbalanced forces on a car that
is accelerating

Weight Force
20 000 N down
Reaction Force
20 000 N up
Driving Force
7000 N right
Friction
3000 N left
What is the net force on the
balloon?
Weight Force
1 N down
Lift Force
5 N up
Wind Force
5 N right
Friction
2 N left
The net forces are:
Net force =
5 N up + right
(53.1)
4 N up
3 N right
Vector addition
Vector addition: Example
Show the resultant force F for the vector diagram below
Vector addition: Example
There are many variations that will result in the same net force
Vector addition: Example
Work out the net force and direction on the
game control (remember to give an angle for
direction).
75N @ N 180
degrees
330N @ N 270
degrees
0 Degrees North
Vector addition: Example
Work out the net force and direction on the
game control (remember to give an angle for
direction).
220N @ N 45
degrees
75N @ N 180
degrees
330N @ N 270
degrees
0 Degrees North
Forces in structures
Structures are designed so that all forces acting
within them are always balanced.
If any forces become unbalanced this can lead to
Failure
Minor Failure examples doors jam, windows
stick, cracks appear in tile, brickwork, plaster.
Major Failure examples parts of the structure or
the entire structure will collapse.
Examples of minor failure
Examples of minor failure
Examples of minor failure
Geological structures
Geological structures
Geological structures
Major failures
Gravity
Gravity is the attractive force that acts between
masses.
Any 2 masses are attracted to each other with
an equal force
The bigger the masses the bigger the force
The closer they are the bigger the force
Newtons universal law of
gravity
G = Gravitational constant = 6.67 x 10 ^ -11

What does this
mean for a man on
the moon?
The man is being
attracted to the moon and
the moon is also being
attracted to the man.

This attraction between
the two bodies is less
than if the man were on
Earth because the mass
of the Moon and the man
is less than the mass of
Earth and the man.
Gravity Application
Gravity Application Mineral
discovery
The discovery of many
hidden mineral
deposits are found
using geophysics. One
technique of
geophysics is to
analyse gravity data.

Mass
Mass (m) is a measure of the amount of a
substance measured in kilograms (kg)
How many kg is a car with a mass of 2.2
tonnes?
Ans: 2200 kg
How many kg is a can of coke 375 grams ?
Ans 0.375 kg
A dose of medicine has a mass of 5 grams,
how many kg is this?
Ans: 0.005 kg
Weight
Weight (W) is the force acting on a mass
placed in a gravitational field and measured in
newtons (N)

W = m.g

g = gravitational field strength (N per kg)
g (Earth) = 9.8 N per kg
g (moon) = 1.62 N per kg
m = mass (kg)

Example Calculation
The mass of bricks and mortar
used to make a wall is 250 kg
Calculate the Weight Force of
the wall pressing down into the
ground
W = m.g
W = 250 x 9.8 = 2450 N into the ground
Calculate the weight force if the wall was
constructed on the moon
W = m.g
W = 250 x 1.62 = 405 N into the moon
Example Calculation 2
What is the combined weight of the 4 skydivers
travelling towards earth if each had a mass of
75kg?
The Reaction Force
Any mass has weight, even a skydiver in free-fall
When a mass is placed on firm ground the weight
causes an action force that pushes into the
ground.
The ground pushes back with the same force
perpendicular to the surface a normal reaction
force
How many forces acting on the brick?
= 2, Weight and Reaction Force
What is the net force on the brick?
= zero, the forces are balanced
Weight of brick
Reaction Force from
ground into brick
Action Force from
brick into ground
The Reaction Force Example
2
(a) What is the weight
of the 20kg box (on
Earth)?

(b) Determine the
Normal force the table
exhibits on the 20kg
box.

(c) Determine the
Normal force the 20kg
box exhibits on the
10kg box.
Compression
If forces are acting on a component that tend to
squash it, then it is in Compression.
If a Rhino is placed
on top of a marble
column.
The action force from
the Rhinos weight
pushes down on the
column
The reaction force
from the brick base
pushes up on the
column
Compression
Example 2
The legs of the
water tower are
compressed by the
weight of the water
acting down and the
reaction force from
the ground acting up
Tension
if forces are acting on a component that tend to
stretch it, then it is in Tension
A Gorilla is hanging from
a rope attached to the
ceiling
The action force from the
Gorillas weight pulls
down on the rope
The reaction force from
the ceiling pulls up on
the rope
Example 2
The cables of a suspension bridge are in
tension supporting the weight of the
roadway
Example 3
Label the sketch to indicate
what members are in
tension and what are in
compression
A
B
C
Tension
Tension
Compressi
on
Substances used in Structures
When building structures it is important to select the
best materials for the job.
Some materials are very strong in compression but
are weak in tension:
Examples: Concrete, Brick, Marble
Some materials are good in tension but weak in
compression.
Examples: Carbon Fibre, Nylon, Kevlar
Some materials are good in both compression and
tension
Examples: Steel, Aluminium, Timber, Bone
Concrete testing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrcRABenT
BE

Slow motion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gg_bIMJ7I0
M


Concrete example
Concrete strong under compression weak under
tension
UNLESS it is reinforced.examples.
Other Factors to consider
Weight
Cost
Availability
Ease of construction
Ability to repair
Fire protection
Material safety
etc. etc.
Stress
Stress
Which footwear is best suited to walk across
the beach?
Both support the same Weight but the thongs
spread the load over a greater surface area.
Stress example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo2iE94iAoA

Stress
=
Force
Cross sectional surface area
(
2
)

Symbols: =

(
2
)

Units
mega newton per m
2
= 1 million N/m
2
= 1
MN/m
2

Stress
Cross sectional surface area:
Consider 2 columns supporting the weight of a
gorilla
The Cross-sectional surface area is the area that
supports the load
Think of a slice through the component
Compressive Stress
Calculate the stress on a rectangular concrete
column with a square cross section measuring 35
cm 35 cm supporting a tank of mass 188 tonnes.
Force = Weight = m.g
Force = 188 000 x 9.8
Force = 1 842 400 N


Compressive Stress
Area = 0.35
2

Area = 0.1225 m
2
=

=
1 842 400
0.1225


= 15 040 000

2
(convert to mega newtons per
m
2
)
15.04 MN/m
2

Compare with maximum compressive stress table
9.1.1 on page 297. Will this concrete support the
tank?
Concrete = 20 MN/m
2
so YES it will support the
tank!!
Tension and necking
If there is a weakness in the material under
tension then necking may occur depending on
the type of material.
A weakness can be a scratch or a slight dint in
the material which causes the forces to
become unbalanced at that point (like our
paper towers).

What is necking?
Read the paragraph on p297 explain and
draw diagrams