Unit 2: Forces

Unit Learning Goals:

By the end of this unit, students will….

• understand the difference between a contact and non-contact force, and the effect they have on how matter interacts with, and moves through, space.

• be able to predict the forces acting on an object through the creation of Free Body Diagrams (FBD's).

• be able to demonstrate an understanding (both theoretical and mathematical) of the relationship between changes in velocity and unbalanced forces.

• understand how Newton's three laws affect and the motion of objects.

• conduct a variety of experiments to analyze how forces affect the motion of an object and compare this motion to theoretical predictions.

TOPICS

Forces in Nature (non-contact forces)

• • Strong Nuclear Force

  • Weak Nuclear Force

  • Electromagnetic Force

  • Gravity and Weight

Gravitation

• • Terrestrial gravity (Earth)

  • Celestial gravity (Universal Gravitation)

Contact Forces

Components of Force

Friction

• • Static vs. kinetic

Inertia

Newton's First Law of Motion

• • Free body diagrams (FBD's)

Newton's Second Law of Motion

• • Relationships between force, mass and acceleration

Newton's Third Law of Motion