Conceptual Physics - Chapter 2: Mechanical Equilibrium

Terms in this set (15)

Mechanical Equilibrium
A state wherein no physical changes occur; it is a state of steadiness
Force
A push or a pull.
How can you change an object's state of motion?
A force is needed to change an object's state of motion.
Net Force
The combination of all forces acting on an object.
Tension
Stretching force.
Weight
Units of force given rise by the gravitational pull of the earth.
Vector
An arrow that represents the magnitude and direction of a quantity.
Vector Quantity
A quantity that needs both magnitude and direction for a complete description.
Scalar Quantity
A quantity that can be described by magnitude only and has no direction. Examples include time, area, and volume.
Equilibrium Rule
The sum of forces on an object is zero, ∑F = 0.
Support force
The upward force that balances the weight of an object on a surface. Also called "normal force".
For an object at rest on a horizontal surface, what is the support force equal to?
For an object at rest on a horizontal surface, the support force must equal the object's weight.
How are static and dynamic equilibrium different?
Objects at rest are said to be in static equilibrium; objects moving at constant speed in a straight-line path are said to be in dynamic equilibrium.
Resultant
The sum of two or more vectors.
How can you find the resultant of two vectors?
To find the resultant of two non-parallel vectors, construct a parallelogram wherein the two vectors are adjacent sides. The diagonal of the parallelogram shows the resultant.
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