In the problem with the block of cheese sliding up an incline, I understand Fg, Ff, and Fn, But it seems like there should be a force causing the uphill slide. Even if the block isn't accelerating, it is overcoming the acceleration of mgsinΘ as well as Ff, isn't it? It seems like that would require force. Maybe I'm wrong.

The force up the incline might no longer be acting on the cheese. If you look at a thrown ball in mid air your throwing force is no longer acting on it. It is being carried forward by sheer momentum and the only forces acting on it are gravity and air resistance. The same is the case with this cheese. Imagine that someone has given it a velocity and then let go (like a curling stone) it will keep moving forward up the incline, but there is no longer any force acting on it to propel it, so given enough time the friction force will make it stop. Remember that the diagram we look at is a snapshot at a particular time. There might have been a force in the past that is no longer being applied, with only the movement remaining.

Hey! Here's what I don't understand: in a system, in which there are two objects, and those objects are stacked (i.e. lie one on top of another) - why would the inferior object's free-body-diagram would include the normal force of the superior object, *pointing down*, rather than the weight of that very same body? Isn't it always the same? Isn't the normal force suppose to point up, counter-reacting the force exerted by the superior body?

The normal force doesn't always have to counteract Force due to gravity or weight. Touch a wall, push, Normal force is exerted on your hand (equal mag.). It arises due to contact, more specifically cuz of the repulsion of atoms between surfaces(you can't touch anything, it's just you feeling the repulsion) Hence Normal force along with the weight of the above object is exerted on the inferior object. and, in a free-body dia, forces acting ON a body are expressed to keep things simple.

If an elevator is accelerating downwards and is coming to a stop, in which direction would the acceleration be pointing?

The acceleration vector would be pointing upwards since its change in velocity is increasing from a negative value towards zero. Negative velocity would be downward in this case.

If I put a mug on the table right to the wall, so the mug is on the table and in the same time it touches the wall, will there be a normal force between the mug and the wall?

Yes. There will be one normal force between the table and the mug (in the vertical direction), and another normal force between the mug and the wall (in the horizontal direction). Each physical contact between the mug and another object will produce a normal force.

can we calculate acceleration of the body by its Free Body Diagram

yes we can f vector = m * a vector (now dont tell me what are f,a?? ) so here a = f/m or net force by mass of the system ok bhai?

how do you know the direction of force without arrows?

Think of it intuitively. For example, if a box is being pushed to the right, then the force is to the right.

what is projectile motion?

pl reply because i have a big doub in that

Main content

Course: AP®︎/College Physics 1 > Unit 3

Lesson 1: Introduction to forces and free body diagrams

Introduction to forces and free body diagrams review

Google Classroom

Review the key concepts and skills for forces, including how to draw free body diagrams.

Key terms

Term	Meaning
Force	A push or pull on an object, usually has symbol $F$ ‍. Has SI units of Newtons ( $N$ ‍) or $\frac{kg m}{s^{2}}$ ‍.
Contact force	A force that requires contact between objects. Examples are tension, normal force, and friction.
Long range force	A force that does not need contact between objects to exist. One example is the gravitational force (weight).
Free body diagram	A diagram showing the forces acting on the object. The object is represented by a dot with forces are drawn as arrows pointing away from the dot. Sometimes called force diagrams.

Types of forces

Force (symbol)	Force type	Description
Weight ( $F_{g}$ ‍ or $W$ ‍)	Long range	Force from gravity acting on an object with mass. Sometimes called force of gravity. Pulls towards the Earth (down) always.
Tension ( $F_{T}$ ‍ or $T$ ‍)	Contact	Force of something pulling on an object. Can be caused by a string, rope, chain, cord, cable, or wire.Pulls along the direction of the rope on the object.
Normal force ( $F_{N}$ ‍ or $N$ ‍)	Contact	Force between two objects when they touch. Pushes perpendicularly to the object’s surface.
Friction ( $F_{f}$ ‍ or $f$ ‍)	Contact	Force resisting sliding between surfaces. Pushes parallel to the contact surface and in the opposite direction of sliding.

How to make a free body diagram

Start by identifying the contact forces. Let's look for what the object is touching by outlining the object (see Figure 1 below). Draw a dot where something touches the outline; where there is a dot, there must be at least one contact force. Draw the force vectors at the contact points to represent how they push or pull on the object (including correct direction).
Figure 1. Contact force identification for a block of cheese resting on a ramp.
After we have identified the contact forces, draw a dot to represent the object we are interested in (see Figure 2 below). We only want to find the forces acting on our object and not forces the object exerts on other objects.
Draw a coordinate system and label the positive directions. If the object is on an incline, then align the axes with the incline.
Draw the contact forces on the dot with an arrow pointing away from the dot. Make sure the arrow lengths are relatively proportional to each other. Label all forces.
Draw and label our long range forces. This will usually be weight unless there is electric charge or magnetism involved.
Draw and label your acceleration vector off to the side of the dot -- not touching the dot. If there is no acceleration, then write $a = 0$ ‍.

\begin{aligned}  \end{aligned}

Here is an example of a free body diagram for a block of cheese resting on a table (see figure 2 below). Gravity pulls down on the cheese’s mass with weight (

W

) and the table pushes up on the cheese with a normal force (

N

). Since there are no ropes and the cheese is not trying to slide, there is no tension or friction.

Common mistakes and misconceptions

Sometimes people draw the forces of the object acting on other things. We only want to draw the forces pushing or pulling on our object. Only focus on what is happening to the object of interest.
Sometimes people forget the directions of the different types of forces. Weight is always down, friction is always parallel to the the contact surface, normal force is always perpendicular to the contact surface, and tension only pulls.

Learn more

To check your understanding and work toward mastering these concepts, check out our free body diagrams exercise.

Want to join the conversation?

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Madd Sam
Posted 6 years ago. Direct link to Madd Sam's post “In the problem with the b...”
In the problem with the block of cheese sliding up an incline, I understand Fg, Ff, and Fn, But it seems like there should be a force causing the uphill slide. Even if the block isn't accelerating, it is overcoming the acceleration of mgsinΘ as well as Ff, isn't it?
It seems like that would require force. Maybe I'm wrong.
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Madd Sam's post “In the problem with the b...”
(27 votes)
Answer
- dundee.michael
  Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to dundee.michael's post “The force up the incline ...”
  The force up the incline might no longer be acting on the cheese. If you look at a thrown ball in mid air your throwing force is no longer acting on it. It is being carried forward by sheer momentum and the only forces acting on it are gravity and air resistance.
  
  The same is the case with this cheese. Imagine that someone has given it a velocity and then let go (like a curling stone) it will keep moving forward up the incline, but there is no longer any force acting on it to propel it, so given enough time the friction force will make it stop.
  
  Remember that the diagram we look at is a snapshot at a particular time. There might have been a force in the past that is no longer being applied, with only the movement remaining.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (40 votes)
Stav Kislev
Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to Stav Kislev's post “Hey! Here's what I don't ...”
Hey!
Here's what I don't understand: in a system, in which there are two objects, and those objects are stacked (i.e. lie one on top of another) - why would the inferior object's free-body-diagram would include the normal force of the superior object, pointing down, rather than the weight of that very same body? Isn't it always the same? Isn't the normal force suppose to point up, counter-reacting the force exerted by the superior body?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(17 votes)
Answer
- Dishita
  Posted 2 years ago. Direct link to Dishita's post “The normal force doesn't ...”
  The normal force doesn't always have to counteract Force due to gravity or weight. Touch a wall, push, Normal force is exerted on your hand (equal mag.).
  It arises due to contact, more specifically cuz of the repulsion of atoms between surfaces(you can't touch anything, it's just you feeling the repulsion)
  Hence Normal force along with the weight of the above object is exerted on the inferior object.
  and, in a free-body dia, forces acting ON a body are expressed to keep things simple.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (7 votes)
m20james
Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to m20james's post “If an elevator is acceler...”
If an elevator is accelerating downwards and is coming to a stop, in which direction would the acceleration be pointing?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(10 votes)
Answer
- Juniper
  Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to Juniper's post “The acceleration vector w...”
  The acceleration vector would be pointing upwards since its change in velocity is increasing from a negative value towards zero. Negative velocity would be downward in this case.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (10 votes)
Alexander Zverev
Posted 6 years ago. Direct link to Alexander Zverev's post “If I put a mug on the tab...”
If I put a mug on the table right to the wall, so the mug is on the table and in the same time it touches the wall, will there be a normal force between the mug and the wall?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(5 votes)
Answer
- Osmaan Shahid
  Posted 6 years ago. Direct link to Osmaan Shahid's post “Yes. There will be one no...”
  Yes. There will be one normal force between the table and the mug (in the vertical direction), and another normal force between the mug and the wall (in the horizontal direction).
  
  Each physical contact between the mug and another object will produce a normal force.
  Comment on Osmaan Shahid's post “Yes. There will be one no...”
  (8 votes)
Adithya Krishna
Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to Adithya Krishna's post “In a pivoted body, the fo...”
In a pivoted body, the force that should act upon it will be rotational force. How do I draw o free body diagram for such an object?
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(7 votes)
Answer
- ltillou24
  Posted a year ago. Direct link to ltillou24's post “That is a discussion of t...”
  That is a discussion of toqu
  Button navigates to signup page
  (2 votes)
Tej Kumar
Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to Tej Kumar's post “can we calculate accelera...”
can we calculate acceleration of the body by its Free Body Diagram
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Tej Kumar's post “can we calculate accelera...”
(5 votes)
Answer
- Aayush Jha
  Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to Aayush Jha's post “yes we can f vector = m *...”
  yes we can
  f vector = m * a vector (now dont tell me what are f,a?? )
  so here a = f/m or net force by mass of the system
  ok bhai?
  Button navigates to signup page
  (2 votes)
jaynena04
Posted 2 years ago. Direct link to jaynena04's post “how do you know the direc...”
how do you know the direction of force without arrows?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on jaynena04's post “how do you know the direc...”
(4 votes)
Answer
- North29
  Posted 2 years ago. Direct link to North29's post “Think of it intuitively. ...”
  Think of it intuitively. For example, if a box is being pushed to the right, then the force is to the right.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (4 votes)
Zen Lambda
Posted a year ago. Direct link to Zen Lambda's post “Is the double "the" near ...”
Is the double "the" near the end of the second row of Common mistakes and misconceptions (2.) on purpose?
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(4 votes)
Answer
- veliko.fotev
  Posted 9 months ago. Direct link to veliko.fotev's post “no, it's a common mistake”
  no, it's a common mistake
  Button navigates to signup page
  (3 votes)
Aayush Jha
Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to Aayush Jha's post “what is projectile motion...”
what is projectile motion?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Aayush Jha's post “what is projectile motion...”
(4 votes)
Answer
- Aayush Jha
  Posted 5 years ago. Direct link to Aayush Jha's post “pl reply because i have a...”
  pl reply because i have a big doub in that
  Comment on Aayush Jha's post “pl reply because i have a...”
  (2 votes)
Frazier Mykell
Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to Frazier Mykell's post “If the cheese was hanging...”
If the cheese was hanging from another object and still touches the tabe, would it still be a free body diagram?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Frazier Mykell's post “If the cheese was hanging...”
(4 votes)
Answer