Forces in action

Lesson 1 – The turning effect of forces and levers

You’ve just bought and IKEA desk, but hammered a nail in the wrong place. Have you ever tried
pulling the nail out with your bare fingers? Is really HARD to IMPOSSIBLE!
Let’s talk about turning forces: What are they?

Demo:

1. What is A?
2. What is going on here?
3. Where is the pivot point?
4. Where is LESS EFFORT needed to OPEN the tin?
5. Would it be better to have a longer or shorter screwdriver?
6. The tin lid has some dried paint around the edge that is sticking the lid to the tin. How does
this affect the amount of force needed to be applied to the screwdriver?

Levers and Pivots

A lever is a simple machine consisting of a rigid object (like a bar) that will rotate around a
fixed point – the pivot
7. Copy and complete the
sentence below
As the lever arm length
increases the effort needed to
mover the load……..
8. If we added a second bolder to
the load in the diagram what
two ways could we change the
diagram to ensure the woman
can lift it?
Defining a level and pivot.

9. Label the pivot, the lever and the direction of the force in each of these examples to work.
Moment Formula

This nail, I’ve trying to put out, just wouldn’t budge! Any ideas as to what I could do to help get this
nail out? Have a think!
The two factors that affect the moment are the force applied and the distance from the pivot.

Moment = Force x Perpendicular distance

(Nm) (N) (m)

(Ncm) (N) (cm)

Calculate the turning force of a spanner that is 20cm long when a force of 13N is applied.
Moment = F x d
Moment = 13 x 20
Moment = 260Ncm
The turning effect of a force is called a “moment”. We work it out using

The force must be in Newtons (N), the distance in metres (m) and we measure moments in “Newton
Metres”(Nm). Sometimes the distance may be in (cm) and then the moment is in Ncm.

Moment = Force x Distance

(Nm) (N) (m)i
 10. Calculate the moments of the forces in each diagram. Make sure you show your workings
correctly

2 metres 1.5 metres

pivot 6 Newtons pivot 3 Newtons

11. What is the distance from the pivot that a weight of 3.6N needs to be placed at to produce
a moment of 9.5 Ncm? Give your answer to 3 significant figures.
12. A tap has a handle that is 11cm long. The turning force required to turn it on is 17Ncm.
Calculate the force needed to turn the tap on. Give your answer to 1 dp.
13. A man holds a fishing rod with a fish hooked. The rod length is 3.2m and the weight of the
fish is 22N. He holds the rod 30cm up from the bottom. Calculate the turning effect he feels.
Give your answer to 2 significant figures.
Lesson 2 Moments in balance
How is this even possible?
To understand how objects can balance
we need to be able to analyse the
moments on each side of the pivots
separately. If the clockwise and
anticlockwise moments are equal, then
the objects will balance. If the moments
are not equal, then the objects will
topple.

So lets look at each side of the PIVOT and Its MOMENTS separately
14. A see-saw has two moments. Calculate the moments for both sides and state which way the
seesaws will tip (clockwise or anticlockwise). Show your working. (Check back to lesson 1 to
see how this is done)
a.

2N 4m 3m 2N

b.
2N 0.75m 4m 0.5N
c.

2N 3cm 4cm 1.5N

15. The diagram shows a crane lifting a load. The counterweight and the load are balanced.

(a)     The load is moved away from the pivot, to the right.

(i)      What happens to the turning moment produced by the load?

(ii)     What should happen to the counterweight to keep the arm balanced?

(b)     A load of 5000 N is placed 8 m from the pivot.

(i)      What is the turning moment of the load?

Give the unit.

(ii)     How far from the pivot must the 10000 N

counter weight be placed in order to balance
the load?

(iii)     The counterweight is placed 3 m from the

pivot.
What load could now be balanced 8 m from
the pivot?

16. (a) A ladder is hung on one hook so that it balances horizontally.

Draw an arrow on the diagram below to show the position of the hook.
  

(b)     A window cleaner puts the ladder on his shoulder in the position shown.

 (i)      The weight of the ladder acts at

its centre, as shown. Calculate the
turning effect, or moment, about
his shoulder due to the weight of
the ladder. Give the unit.

         The window cleaner hooks his bucket

onto the ladder as shown in the
diagram.
The bucket weighs 15 N and is 0.8 m
from his shoulder.

(ii)     Calculate the turning effect, or

moment, about his shoulder due to
the weight of the bucket only.

(iii)     Calculate the size and direction

(clockwise or anticlockwise) of the
total turning effect, or moment,
about his shoulder due to the
weight of the ladder and the weight
of the bucket.

(c)     To keep the ladder and bucket balanced on his shoulder, the window cleaner
has to pull down with his hand.

(i)      How can he move the ladder on his shoulder to reduce the force his hand has
to balance?

(ii)     How could he change the position of the bucket to reduce the force his hand
has to balance?
17. The crane has to lift a load of 10000N at a distance of
20m from the pivot.
What distance should the counterweight of 2500 N be
placed to ensure balance?

18. A load of 100N is positioned 2 metres to the left hand side of a pivot. How far away would
you have to place a 200N load on the right hand side of the pivot?
19. A 150N load is held 3 metres from a pivot. If the load is balanced by another load which is 1.5
metres away from the pivot, what force is needed to do this?

20. Two pupils are sat on a see-saw. If the pupil on the left has a load of 45N and is sat 2 metres
away from the pivot, how far away must the other pupil sit if they have a load of 30N?

21. A crane lifts a 4000N block using an arm which is 20 metres in length. If the counter weight is
2 metres from the pivot, what force must the counter weight produce?
 22. What is a moment?
23. Calculate the moment of the forces shown. Show your working. Give the unit. Say whether
each is clockwise or anticlockwise.

(c)

24. Harry was trying to loosen a nut on a car tyre. It does not move.
(a) calculate the moment Harry applied to the nut
(b) Suggest a value for the
frictional force of the nut on the
screw
(c) Suggest two ways to increase the
moment
50cm
30N
 25. Look at this example of a balanced system.

x 5m
25N 10N

a) Calculate the size of the clockwise moment

b) State the size of the anticlockwise moment

c) Calculate the distance x.

26. The picture shows a crane lifting a load.

Explain why, in this instance, the counterweight
needs to be heavier than the load.

Lesson 2 WORK!
So what does work in physics actually mean?
Work done is the amount of energy transferred when a force causes something to be displaced
(move).
When a force moves an object, energy is transferred, and work is done.
• When something moves, something else must provide some sort of effort to move it
• The something putting in the effort needs a supply of energy such as food, fuel, electricity.
• It does work and so moves the object – energy is transferred into other stores e.g kinetic
• We therefore say, work is done.
Formula
Without drawing a formula triangle, rearrange the formula to show all three combinations.
Work Done (J) = Force (N) x Distance (m)
Making the FORCE the subject:
Force (N) = Work Done (J)
Distance (m)
Making the DISTANCE the subject:
Distance = Work Done (J)
Force (N)
Let me show you one being done:
A car is dragged 570cm over flat ground. It is pulled by a force of 360N. What is the work done?
Work done = Force x Distance
Distance must be in m so 570/100 = 5.7m
Wd = 360 x 5.7 = 2052J

SKILLS:
Significant figures
• If the answer you asks for a particular number of significant figures, make sure you do this –
there will be one mark for doing this.
• Make sure you round appropriately
• E.g
13265J to 3 significant figures = 13300J
8.7625J to 3 significant figures = 8.76J

27. Round the following numbers to 3 significant figures (or 3 Sig Figs)
a. 56,147 f. 57,402
b. 26,813 g. 5288
c. 79,611 h. 89.67
d. 0.8006 i. 0.42
e. 0.4589 j. 0.758
 28. Look at the table below. Try to complete the boxes by using the values for force and
distance. For example W= F x d ,
W= ? F=12N d=35cm = 0.35m
W= 12x0.35= 4.2J

Force (___) (Force = Work done x distance)

Distance (……) (Distance = work done / force)

12 120,000 8

35cm 4.2 J
3.85 J

100m 37200

3.62cm

1.87m

1.2 J 1.1 J

29. The diagram shows an adult and a child pushing a loaded shopping
trolley.                                   

(a)     (i)      What is the total force on the trolley due to the adult and
child?

(ii)     Which one of the terms in the box means the same as total
force?

         Draw a ring around your answer.

 
          answer force          mean force        resultant force

(1)

(iii)     The trolley is pushed at a constant speed for 80 metres.

         Calculate the work done to push the trolley 80 metres.

         Show clearly how you work out your answer.

 (b)     Complete the following sentences by drawing a ring around the correct word in
each of the boxes.
 
joule
(i)       The unit of work done is the newton .
watt

30. The diagram shows a worker using a constant force of 60 N to push a crate across the floor.

(a)     The crate moves at a constant speed in a

straight line

(i)      Draw an arrow on the diagram to show the

direction of the friction force acting on the
moving crate.

(ii)     State the size of the friction force acting

on the moving crate.

Give the reason for your answer.

(b)     Calculate the work done by the worker to push the crate 28 metres.

Show clearly how you work out your answer and give the unit.

31. The diagram shows a climber part way up a cliff.

(a)     Complete the sentence.

When the climber moves up the cliff, the climber

gains gravitational ______________________ energy.

(1)

(b)     The climber weighs 660 N.

(i)      Calculate the work the climber must do against gravity, to

climb to the top of the cliff.

Lesson 4 Simple machines

Machines have truly revolutionised civilisation. Simple machines have allowed humans to build
the ancient cities of Romans, Greeks and Egyptians. Machines do not have to be complex. A
simple machine is a device which alters the size of a force or the direction in which a force
acts.
Examples include:
Levers Pulleys
Wheels / Gears Screws
Axels Wedges

32. Label the diagrams below using the keywords above

 33. Some students investigated how the radius of the cog effected the force need to make them
move
Work out the averages for these results:

Force Applied (N)

Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Average

Radius of cog (cm)

 
5 105.0 110.0 100.0

 
10 20.0 50.0 50.0

 
15 33.0 34.0 33.0

 
20 25.0 25.0 60.0

 
25 19.0 35.0 21.0
34. What is the relationship between the radius of cog and the average force applied?
35. What is the relationship between the radius of cog and the distance moved?
36. What do you notice about the average force applied x distance moved?
37.
(a) The diagram shows a builder using a plank to help load rubble into a skip.

The builder uses a force of 220 N to push the wheelbarrow up the plank.

Use information from the diagram to calculate the work done to push the
wheelbarrow up the plank to the skip.

Show clearly how you work out your answer.

(b)     A student investigated how the force needed to pull a brick up a slope, at a steady
speed, depends on the angle of the slope.
The apparatus used by the student is shown in the diagram.

The student used the results from the investigation to plot the points for a graph of
force used against the angle of the slope.
  

(i)      Draw a line of best fit for these points.

(ii)     How does the force used to pull the brick up the slope change as the angle
of the slope increases?

(iii)    Consider the results from this experiment.

Should the student recommend that the builder use a long plank or a short
plank to help load the skip? Explain the reason for your answer.

Lesson 4 Hooke’s law.

When a force acts on an object it can deform, for elastic objects this deformation can be stretching
or squashing. Hooke’s law looks at the relationship between the force on an elastic object and how
much it will stretch by.
Hooke’s law states that: The extension of an elastic object is directly proportional to the force
applied.
As more force is applied the spring should extend more and this should be constant i.e doubling the
force will double the extension.
You are going to plan and carry out an investigation to see if Hooke’s law holds true.
Hypothesis:
The extension of a spring is proportional to the force applied to the spring
Independent variable:
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……..
Dependent variable:
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Control variables:
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Method:
1. Hang your spring off the clamp and stand and secure a ruler so that the zero line is level with the
bottom of the spring.
2. Add the hanger with 100g (1N) mass onto the bottom of the spring.
3. When the spring is still, read off the extension – how much longer the spring has got.
4. Record your measurement and then continue, adding 100g masses up to 500g. Do not go beyond
that.
5. Remove all masses and repeat.
Diagram:

38. Design your own table for results. Include columns for repeats & means and convert g into
force (100g = 1N)
39. Plot your results on the graph paper below.
 40. What was the range and interval of your independent variable? Don’t forget the unit.
41. Describe the relationship between force and extension. What does a straight line through the
origin tell you?
42. What happened to the shape and size of your spring when you removed the weights?
43. What word is used to describe objects that behave in this way?
44. A student carried out the same experiment as you – their graph is shown to the right. What
happened after 1.5N?
From the practical you should be able to prove Hooke’s law true, you should have been able to
produce a straight line graph that passes through the origin, if not it’s important to think about what
errors might have occurred that skewed your results.
There is a formula linking the force on the elastic material and it’s extension:

Force=spring constant ×extension

F=K x
The spring constant is how much force is required to extend the spring by 1 meter and is measured
in Newtons per meter (N/m), the force will always be calculated in Newtons (N) and the extension in
meters (m).
Example question:
Calculate the force applied to a spring that stretches 0.2m and has a spring constant of 10N/m.

F = 0.2 x 10
F = 2N

All elastic objects will obey Hooke’s law but only to a certain point, this is known as the limit of
elasticity, after this point the elastic material becomes permanently deformed and the extension
and force applied are no longer directly proportional. This would be characterised by a plateau on
the force-extension graph.
When the spring is stretched energy must be transferred into the spring, this energy will transfer the
elastic store of the spring, when the spring is released the energy store will transfer into the kinetic
energy of the spring as it moves back into its natural shape, this energy eventually transfers to the
thermal store of the surroundings.
45. State Hooke’s law.
46. Give the formula relating, force, spring constant and extension.
47. What two things should be seen if a relationship is directly proportional.
48. Sketch a graph showing Hooke’s law, label the limit of elasticity.
49. A spring has a spring constant of 5 N/m and extends by 0.3 metres. Calculate the force
needed to make this happen.
50. A spring has a spring constant of 7.5 N/m and extends by 0.45 metres. Calculate the force
needed to make this happen.
51. A spring has a spring constant of 13 N/m and extends by 0.7 metres. Calculate the force
needed to make this happen.
52. A spring has a force of 2.1 N applied to it and a spring constant of 0.3 N / m. Calculate the
extension.
53. A spring has a force of 4.6 N applied to it and a spring constant of 4.3 N / m. Calculate the
extension.
54. A spring has a force of 7.3 N applied to it and a spring constant of 2 N / m. Calculate the
extension.
55. A rubber ball has a force of 2 N applied to it and is compressed by 0.04 metres. Calculate the
spring constant.
56. A spring has a force of 6 N applied to it and is compressed by 0.2 metres. Calculate the spring
constant.
57. A spring has a force of 4.5 N applied to it and extends by 0.08 metres. Calculate the spring
constant.
58. A bungee cord extends by 50 m when a force of 0.6 KN is applied to it. Calculate the spring
constant.
59. An elastic band stretches has a spring constant of 10 N / m and extends by 15 cm when a
force is applied to it. Calculate the force needed to cause this extension.
60. A watch spring has a spring constant of 17 N /cm. When the timing mechanism applies a force
of 34 N to the watch spring, calculate the extension in metres.
61. A student investigated how the extension of a spring depends on the force applied to the
spring.

The diagram shows the spring before and after a force had been applied.

(a)      (i)     Complete the following sentence using letters, A, B, C or D, from the diagram.

The extension of the spring is the distance between the positions labelled

___________and ___________ on the metre rule.

(ii)     What energy store increases when the spring is stretched?

(b)     The results from the investigation are plotted on the following graph.

 (i)     The graph shows that the student has made an

error throughout the investigation.

What error has the student made?

Give the reason for your answer.

(ii)     The student has loaded the spring beyond its

limit of proportionality.
 Mark on the graph line the limit of proportionality of the spring. Label the point P.

Give the reason for choosing your point P.

Revision
62. A student investigated how different forces affected a spring. She added masses, 100g at a
time, to the end of a clamped spring, and measured the length of the spring. Her results are
shown below:

Force added (N) Length of spring (cm) Extension (cm)

0 3.2 0
1 3.5 0.3
2 3.8 0.6
3 4.1
4 4.4
5 4.7
6 5.5
7 6.1

a) Complete the table by calculating the extension of the spring for each mass.
b) Describe the energy transfer as the mass is added to the spring:
As the mass moves down..
As the mass slows to a stop…
Some energy will always be transferred to….
63. Draw the force/extension graph on graph paper.
64. What would the extension of the spring be if:
 1.5N was added ……………………………………….
 8N was added …………………………………………
65. What force would need to be added to make the spring length 3.7cm? ……………………
66. Describe the relationship shown between force and extension in your graph between 0 and 5N
67. What has happened at 6N?
68. The elastic limit of the spring may not be 6N. Suggest how it could be found more accurately.
69. A spring has a force of 2.1 N applied to it and a spring constant of 0.3 N / m. Calculate the
extension.
70. An elastic band stretches has a spring constant of 10 N / m and extends by 15 cm when a
force is applied to it. Calculate the force needed to cause this extension.
71. A watch spring has a spring constant of 17 N /cm. When the timing mechanism applies a force
of 34 N to the watch spring, calculate the extension in metres.