Forces and Newton's laws

Understandings:

• Objects as point particles
• Free-body diagrams
• Translational equilibrium
• Newton’s laws of motion
• Solid friction

Applications and skills:

• Representing forces as vectors
• Sketching and interpreting free-body diagrams
• Describing the consequences of Newton’s first law for translational equilibrium
• Using Newton’s second law quantitatively and qualitatively
• Identifying force pairs in the context of Newton’s third law
• Solving problems involving forces and determining resultant force
• Describing solid friction (static and dynamic) by coefficients of friction

Guidance:

• Students should label forces using commonly accepted names or symbols (for example: weight or force of gravity or mg)
• Free-body diagrams should show scaled vector lengths acting from the point of application
• Examples and questions will be limited to constant mass
• mg should be identified as weight
• Calculations relating to the determination of resultant forces will be restricted to one- and two-dimensional situations