P2 2.

2 Activity sheet
Name: Class:

Resultant forces
Aim
To develop your understanding of resultant forces and force diagrams. 1 A celebration cracker is pulled at each end until it tears open (Figure 1).

Figure 1 The pull forces are increased until the cracker rips open. Rewrite the following sentences filling in the blanks. a) The pull forces are always . and opposite to each other as they increase.

........................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................ b) The cracker rips open because the pull forces on it are too . for the paper.

........................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Figure 2 shows a tug-of-war between the Blues and the Reds.

Figure 2 a) How much force does each team exert on the ground? Blues: ....................................................... Reds: ............................................................

b) What is the size and direction of the resultant force? ..................................................................................................................................................

AQA Science Nelson Thornes Ltd 2006

P2 2.2

P2 2.2 Activity sheet

Continued 3 In each of the following examples, two forces, A and B, act on a ball along the same straight line through the centre of the ball. The forces act in the same direction as each other or in opposite directions. In each case: complete the force diagrams for examples 24 showing the two forces acting on the sphere. The force diagram for example 1 has already been completed. state the size and the direction of the resultant force on the object.
Force A 1 12 N to the left Force B 7 N to the right Force diagram Size and direction of the resultant force

7N to the right

12 N to the right

7N to the left

7 N to the right

12 N to the left

12 N to the left

AQA Science Nelson Thornes Ltd 2006

P2 2.2

P2, Topic 2.2 Support

Name

Class

Date

Resultant forces using forces to change the motion of objects

Aims
In this exercise you will look at diagrams of different objects and describe the effects of the forces applied to them. Remember that forces in equilibrium do not change the motion of the object, but that resultant forces can cause the object to accelerate, decelerate, or change direction.

Questions
1 Look at the diagram below. The biker has put the bike in gear and he is turning the throttle slowly, but he is also applying the front brake so the bike is not yet moving.

a These questions are about the effects of forces in equilibrium. i Label the two forces acting on the motorbike in the above diagram.

ii The two forces on the motorbike are in equilibrium. Explain what this means.

iii What will happen to the motorbike if these two forces remain in equilibrium?

b These questions are about the effects of resultant forces. i The biker now releases the front brake. Describe how the motion of the bike changes in this situation.

ii A different backward force will now act on the bike. What is the name of this force? .

New AQA GCSE Science Nelson Thornes Ltd 2011

P2, Topic 2.2 Support

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Class

Date

iii Eventually, the backward force becomes equal to the forward force. How does the motorbike move now? .. iv The biker approaches a red traffic light. Explain how the forces acting on the motorbike will change as the biker releases the throttle and applies the brakes, and what effect these forces will have on the motion of the bike. . . . . 2 The racing car in the picture has just won a race. The driver is still pressing the accelerator, but gently releasing the pressure on it after the final sprint.

a These questions are about the effects of resultant forces. i What is happening to the formula 1 car in the situation described above? Label the two force (arrows) acting on the car in the diagram. ii The car arrives at its box and the driver has stopped pressing the accelerator. The car is still moving forward very slowly when a technician applies a backward push to the front of the car. Describe what will happen to the motion of the car if the technician keeps pushing. .. . .. . . . .. .

New AQA GCSE Science Nelson Thornes Ltd 2011

P2, Topic 2.2 Extension

Name

Class

Date

Making sense of resultant forces! Summing forces acting on objects

Aims
In this exercise you will look at force arrow diagrams, and use them to work out the resultant force on different objects. Remember that forces have a direction, so to sum two forces pointing in opposite directions you will need to take away the smaller force from the bigger force.

Questions
1 Look carefully at the forces applied on the plane below and answer the following questions.

These questions are about the effects of resultant forces on an object. a Label all the forces acting on the plane with a suitable name. b The plane is flying along a horizontal line. Describe the motion of the plane in this situation. .. ..

New AQA GCSE Science Nelson Thornes Ltd 2011

P2, Topic 2.2 Extension

Name

Class

Date

How should the vertical forces change, if the plane were to change direction to a diagonal downward line? Explain your reasoning.

d What is the horizontal resultant force on the plane?

2 The runner in the picture is running with the wind pushing her forward.

These questions are about force diagrams and resultant forces. a The drag on the athlete is 42 N, the force of the wind is 21 N and the force from her muscles is 84 N. Add force arrows to the diagram to show the forces acting on the runner. Make sure the arrows are about the right lengths. b Calculate the resultant force on the runner. Give its direction.

New AQA GCSE Science Nelson Thornes Ltd 2011

P2, Topic 2.2 Extension

Name

Class

Date

c Describe the motion of the runner in this situation.

d When the runner has passed the finish line she decelerates by decreasing her muscle force. How small must her muscle force be before she decelerates? Show your calculations and assume that the drag and the force of the wind have not changed.

New AQA GCSE Science Nelson Thornes Ltd 2011

P2, Topic 2.3 Bump up your grade

Name

Class

Date

What is the resultant force? Summing forces acting on objects

Aims
In this exercise you will look at force arrow diagrams and use them to work out the resultant force on a runner. Remember that forces have a direction, so to find the resultant force of two forces pointing in opposite directions you will need to take away the smaller force from the bigger force.

Questions
1 The runner in the photo is ready to sprint. Look carefully at the horizontal forces applied on her body and answer the questions below.

40 N

40 N

a Label the two forces acting on the runner in the diagram with a suitable name. b How can you best describe the two forces acting on the runner? . c What is the resultant force on the runner in this situation? . d What is the effect of this resultant force on the runners motion? Explain your answer. . . .

New AQA GCSE Science Nelson Thornes Ltd 2011

P2, Topic 2.3 Bump up your grade

Name

Class

Date

2 These questions are about the effects of unbalanced forces. a When the runner is given the GO, the effect of her muscles is to apply a forward force of 80 N on her body. Calculate the resultant force in this situation, if the backward force remains at 40 N. . . b State the direction of this resultant force and describe its effect on the motion of the runner. . . c As the runner gains speed, air resistance increases the backward force on her body to 70 N. Calculate the new resultant force on the runners body and describe its effects on her motion. . . . d When the runner has passed the finish line her muscles apply a force on the ground to increase her backward force.

40 N drag

70 N muscle force

From the image above, work out the resultant force and describe any change to the motion. . . .

New AQA GCSE Science Nelson Thornes Ltd 2011