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SIERRA LEONE MUSLIM CONGRESS SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL

FORCES AND THEIR EFFECTS Examples include gravitational force,

electrostatic force, magnetic force, nuclear
FORCE force, electric force etc.
A force is the pull or push of an object. DESCRIPTION OF SOME FORCES
OR TENSION
A force is anything which changes a body’s This is a force which tends to resist a body
state of rest or uniform motion in a straight from being stretched.
line.
For a hanging body on a rope at rest, the
EFFECTS OF FORCE tension in the rope T acting upward is equal
➢ A force can cause or stop motion. to the weight of the body.
➢ It can cause objects to deform or change i.e. Tension T = W = mg
in shape.
➢ It can cause a change in direction of an COMPRESSIVE FORCE
object.
➢ A force can produce sound. This is a force which act on a body to make
it shorter than its original length.
TYPES OF FORCES
THRUST
There are two main types of forces. These
are; Force which comes into play when bodies
are being pushed towards each other.
1. Contact forces and
2. Field force or non-contact forces This is a force which objects experience
when they are pressed to one another.
➢ Contact forces Examples: force on the hand of a pushing
They are experienced when bodies are in car, bricks laying horizontally on the floor.
direct contact with one another. CENTRIPETAL FORCE
Examples include tension in ropes, weight, This is the force which causes a body to
reaction, upthrust, pull, push, adhesive revolve in its circle of latitude.
force, cohesive force, frictional force etc.

➢ Non-contact forces/force fields

They are experienced by bodies which may

or may not be in direct contact with the
source of the force.

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UPTHRUST

This is an upward force which a body

experienced when immersed in a fluid.

This force is equal to the weight of liquid

displaced.

WEIGHT

This is the force a body exerts on its support.

This force is due to gravity.

FORCE OF GRAVITY

The is the force which pull an object

towards the earth surface.

MAGNETIC FORCE

This is the force used in magnets to attract

magnetic substance.

ELECTROSTATIC FORCE

This is the force that acts between electric

charges.

MOLECULAR FORCE

This is the force which exist between

molecules of matter. Example of such a
force is adhesion and cohesion.

NUCLEAR FORCE

This is the force which holds together the

protons and the neutrons that makes the
nucleus.

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FRICTIONAL FORCE ADVANTAGES OF FRICTION

Friction is the force which opposes the 1. Friction prevent man from slipping
relative sliding motion of two surfaces in when walking.
contact with one another. 2. It enables vehicle tyre to make a firm
grip with the road.
Frictions between objects only come into 3. It enables break of vehicles to hold.
play whenever there is relative motion or 4. For grinding when using grinding
when a force tends to produce a motion. stones.
TYPES OF FRICTION DISADVANTAGES OF FRICTION
1. Static and 1. It causes wear and tear in machine
2. Dynamic friction parts.
STATIC /LIMITING FRICTION 2. It reduces the efficiency of a machine.
3. It causes the heating of machine parts
This is the friction between two surfaces or engines because the energy used to
such that one is about to move. overcome friction is converted to heat.

DYNAMIC /KINETIC FRICTION METHODS OF REDUCING

FRICTION
This is the frictional force between two
surfaces in relative motion. 1. Lubrication i.e. pouring oil or grease
on metal surfaces.
LAWS OF SOLID FRICTION
2. By polishing the surface.
1. Friction opposes motion. 3. Using rollers and ball bearing in
2. Friction depends on the nature of the moving parts.
two surfaces. 4. Powdering objects surfaces.
3. It is independent of the area of the 5. By streamlining the body.
surfaces in contact. That is by shaping the body so that it
4. Frictional force F is proportional to can move through other bodies such as
the normal reaction R. air, water, wood etc. with ease.
5. Friction is dependent of relative Modern cars, ships and areoplanes
velocity between the surfaces. have streamline body.

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COEFFICIENT OF STATIC Case one: if the force P is applied, and the

FRICTION object is stationary.

This is the ratio of the static friction force 𝑃 − 𝐹 = 𝑚𝑎

F to the normal reaction R.
Since no motion 𝑎 = 0
That is,
𝑃−𝐹 =0
𝐹
𝜇= 𝑃 = 𝐹 = 𝜇𝑅
𝑅
𝐹 = 𝜇𝑅 Case two: when the force P is applied, and
the body moves.
𝜇 = coefficient of friction
𝑃 − 𝐹 = 𝑚𝑎
FRICTIONAL FORCE ON A PLANE
HORIZONTAL SURFACE 𝑃 = 𝐹 + 𝑚𝑎

Suppose a body is placed on a rough 𝐹 = 𝜇𝑅

horizonal plane and is being acted upon by
𝑃 = 𝜇𝑅 + 𝑚𝑎
a horizonal force P in the direction of
motion as shown below. 𝑃 = 𝑚(𝜇𝑔 + 𝑎)

If the surface is smooth, F = 0

WASSCE JUNE 2010/ Q1b Pract.

(a) Define coefficient of static friction.

(b) A block of wood of mass 0.5kg is
pulled horizontally on a table by a
force of 2.5N. Calculate the
coefficient of static friction
between the two surfaces. (g =
NB: the normal reaction is always equal 10m/s2)
to the weight.
Solution

F P=2.5N

mg
𝐹 2.5
𝜇= = = 0.5
𝑅 (0.5)(10)

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10 − 1 = 𝑚(1.5)

WASSCE JUNE 2013/4 10 − 1

𝑚=
1.5
𝑎 = 6𝑘g

A block of wood of mass 5kg is pilled on a mass of the block is 6𝑘g

platform by force of 40N as illustrated in
WASSCE JUNE 2014
the diagram above. If the frictional force,
F experienced by the block is 12N,
calculate the magnitude of the
acceleration of the block.

Solution

From the above diagram,

𝑃 − 𝐹 = 𝑚𝑎

40 − 12 = 𝑚𝑎
The diagram above illustrates a body of
40 − 12
𝑎= mass 5.0kg being pilled by a horizontal
5
force F. if the body accelerates at 2.0ms-2
𝑎 = 5.6𝑚𝑠 −2 and experiences a frictional force of 5N.
calculate the;
Acceleration of the block is 5.6𝑚𝑠 −2
(i) Net force
WASSCE JUNE 2018/8 (ii) Magnitude of F.
(iii) Coefficient of kinetic friction

Solution

From the above diagram,

(i) Net force,
A block is acted upon by two horizontal 𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝐹 − 𝐹1 = 𝑚𝑎
forces as illustrated in the diagram above. 𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 5.0 × 2.0 = 10𝑁
The block accelerates at 1.5ms-2. Calculate
the mass of the block.

Solution

From the above diagram,

𝑃 − 𝐹 = 𝑚𝑎

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(ii) Magnitude of F
𝐹 = 𝑚𝑎 + 𝐹1

𝐹 = (5.0 × 2.0) + 5

𝐹 = 10 + 5 = 15𝑁

(iii) Coefficient of kinetic friction

𝐹 𝐹1 5
𝜇= = = = 0.1
𝑅 𝑚𝑔 5(10)
WASSCE JUNE 2013/12b (Nov.)

Explain the following observation :

WASSCE JUNE 2006/6
A cat runs with difficulty on a highly
A moving car of mass 800kg experiences a polished surface.
frictional force of 200N. If it accelerates at
2ms-2, calculate the magnitude of the force Solution
applied to the car.
Friction enables walking and running
Solution
With friction, the feet of the cat have a firm
From the above information, grip in a floor as it runs.

𝑃 − 𝐹 = 𝑚𝑎 A highly polished floor is frictionless floor,

which makes the feet of the cat unable to
𝑃 = 𝐹 + 𝑚𝑎 make a firm grip on the floor, thus the cat
runs with difficulty.
𝑃 = 200 + 800(2)
WASSCE PC 2018
𝑃 = 1800𝑁
List the forces that keep the earth
WASSCE JUNE 2018/8b
revolving round the sun.
Forces act on a car in motion.
Solution
List the:
Centripetal force and gravitational force
(i) Horizontal forces and their
directions.
(ii) Vertical forces and their
directions

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WASSCE JUNE 2005/5 OBJ Solution

A body of mass 25kg moving at 3ms-1 on a i. TC – F = net force

rough horizontal plane is brought to rest TC – 𝜇R = ma
after sliding through 2.50m on the floor. TC – 𝜇mg = ma
Calculate the coefficient of sliding friction. Tc – 0.3 × 10 × 3 = 3 × 2
TC – 9 = 6
Solution
TC = 9 + 6 = 15N
From the above information,
ii. TB – 2F = ma
𝑃 − 𝐹 = 𝑚𝑎 TB – 2𝜇mg = ma
TB – 2×0.3 × 3 × 10 = 3 × 2
𝑣 2 = 𝑢2 − 2𝑎𝑠
TB– 18 = 6
02 = 32 − 2𝑎(2.5) TB = 18 + 6 = 24N

𝑎 = 1.8𝑚𝑠 −2 iii. TA – 3F = ma
TA – 3𝜇mg = ma
𝐹 = 𝑚𝑎 = 𝜇𝑚𝑔
TA – 3×0.3 × 3 × 10 = 3 × 2
𝑎 TC – 27 = 6
𝜇= = 0.18
𝑔 TC = 27 + 6 = 33N
WASSCE SC 2020 [NG]
EXAMPLE
The diagram below illustrates three
similar blocks, labelled A, B and C, each Find the value of x in the diagram below
of mass 3kg are joined by strings. They are
pulled along a horizontal floor by means
of the string at A with horizontal floor by
means of the string at A with acceleration
of 2ms-2. The strings are under tension TC,

Solution

30 – x = ma

30 – x = 3a
TB and TA.
Also, x = 5a ⟹ 30 – 5a = 3a
If the coefficient of kinetic friction between
the surface is 0.3, calculate: a = 3.74m/s2 ⟹ x = 5a = 18.75N
i. TC ii. TB iii. TA

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FRICTIONAL FORCE ON AN
INCLINED PLANE

Suppose an object of mass m is inclined at

an angle of 𝜃 as shown below.

R
F
(i) The coefficient of kinetic
friction
𝜇 = tan 𝜃
𝜃 𝜇 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛30
𝜇 = 0.577
mg (ii) Since the crate slides down
with a constant speed then P =
Resolving parallel to the plane F
𝐹 = mgsin 𝜃 𝑃 = mgsin 𝜃
Resolving perpendicular to the plane 𝑃 = (20)(10)sin 30 = 100𝑁
𝑅 = mgcos 𝜃 𝐹 = 100𝑁
𝐹 mg sin 𝜃 WASSCE SC 2021
𝜇= = ⟹ 𝜇 = tan 𝜃
𝑅 mg cos 𝜃
A block of mass 2kg is placed on a rough
inclined plane. When the angle of the
WASSCE JUNE 2015/8d plane is 600, the block is just about sliding
down.
A crate of drinks of mass 20kg is placed on
a rough plane inclined at 300 to the i. Draw a force diagram for the system.
horizontal. If the crate slides down with a ii. Calculate the force acting along the
constant speed, calculate the; plane.

(i). co – efficient of kinetic friction. Solution

F
(ii) magnitude of frictional force acting on
the crate. (g = 10m/s2)

Solution
𝜃

mg

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ii.Force acting along the plane = mgsin𝜃 1

𝑠 = 𝑢𝑡 + 𝑎𝑡 2 ⟹ 𝑢 = 0
2
𝐹 = 20𝑠𝑖𝑛60 = 17.32𝑁
1
8= 0+ × 2.4 × 𝑡 2
2
WASSCE JUNE 2017/8e 𝑡 = 2.58𝑠

A body is released from rest at the top EXAMPLE

of a plane inclined at 300 to the
horizontal and 4.0m high. If the A box of mass 4kg is at the point of sliding
coefficient of friction between the body down a plane inclined at 300 to the
and the plane is 0.3, calculate the time horizontal. What force, parallel to the
the body takes to reach the bottom of plane, will just move the box up the plane?
the plane. Solution
Solution

𝑃 − 𝐹 − mg sin 𝜃 = 0

𝑃 = 𝐹 + mg sin 𝜃

Fnet = ma 𝑃 = μmgcosθ + mg sin 𝜃

mgsin 𝜃 − 𝐹 = 𝑚𝑎 𝑃 = 2𝑚𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛30 = 2 × 4 × 10𝑠𝑖𝑛30

mg sin 𝜃 − 𝐹 mg(sinθ − μcosθ) 𝑃 = 40𝑁

𝒂= =
𝒎 𝒎

𝑎 = 𝑔(𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 − 𝜇𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃)
EXAMPLE
𝑎 = 10(𝑠𝑖𝑛30 − 0.3𝑐𝑜𝑠30)
A body of mass 2kg rests on a smooth
𝑎 = 2.4𝑚/𝑠 2 plane inclined at an angle of 300 to the
horizontal.
From the diagram,
i. What is the magnitude of the force, P
ℎ
𝑠𝑖𝑛30 = which, when applied along the plane,
𝑠 keeps it from sliding?
ℎ 4.0 ii. What is the normal reaction between
𝑠= = = 8𝑚 the body and plane?
𝑠𝑖𝑛30 0.5

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Solution 𝑇 − 200𝑠𝑖𝑛3020𝑎 ⟹ 𝑇 = 100 +

20𝑎..(1)

Consider the 20kg mass

mg – T =ma

300 − 𝑇 = 30𝑎 ⟹ 𝑇 = 300 − 30𝑎 …(2)

Solving 1 and 2 yields;

(i) the force, P
500a = 200 ⟹ 𝑎 = 4𝑚𝑠 −2
since the surface is smooth, F = 0
WASSCE SC
𝑃 = 𝐹 + 𝑚𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
State two situations each for which friction
𝑃 = 0 + (2 × 10)𝑠𝑖𝑛30 is considered to be:

𝑃 = 10𝑁 a. desirable
b. undesirable
(ii) Normal reaction, R
Hint
𝑅 = 𝑚𝑔𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
Refers to advantages and disadvantages of
𝑅 = (2 × 10)𝑐𝑜𝑠30 friction.
𝑅 = 17.32𝑁

EXERCISES
EXAMPLE 1. WASSCE 2007/11c Neco
Calculate the acceleration of the system
shown below.

Two bodies X and Y of masses 5.0kg and

Solution
7.5kg respectively, are connected by a
Consider the 20kg mass light inextensible string as illustrated in
the diagram above. If X is placed on a
T – mgsin𝜃 =ma rough surface of coefficient of friction 0.5,
calculate the magnitude of the;

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a. Normal reaction on X. inextensible string. If A is placed on a

b. Frictional force between X and the rough surface of coefficient of friction 0.5,
surface. calculate the magnitude of the:
c. Tension in the string.
[g = 10ms-2] a. Normal force between A and the
2. A block of weight 50N is being pulled
surface.
on a rough horizontal plane with a b. Frictional force between A and the
constant force of 20N. if the coefficient surface.
between the floor and the block is 0.2, c. Tension in the string. (g = 10m/s2)
calculate the acceleration of the block.
3. 6.

Calculate the resultant force in the forces

shown below.

A block of wood of mass 5kg is pulled

on a platform by a force of 40N as
illustrated in the diagram below. If the
frictional force F experienced by the
block is 12N, calculate the magnitude 7. WASSCE JUNE 2012/1
of the acceleration of the block.

4. A body of mass 40kg is given an

acceleration of 10ms-2 on the
horizontal ground for which the
coefficient of friction is 0.5, calculate
the force required to accelerate the
body. (g = 10ms-2) In
5. the
diagram illustrated above, a body of mass
m slides on an inclined plane. Show that
the coefficient of friction between the
surfaces in contact is tan 𝜃.

the diagram above shows two bodies A

and B of masses 6.0kg and 8.0kg
respectively are connected by a light

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8. JAMB 1982 12.

a. Define the term coefficient of
A body of mass 10kg on a smooth inclined friction
plane is connected over a smooth pulley to b. F=400N
a mass of 15kg as shown. Find the
acceleration of the system. 30

70kg

The diagram above shows a 70kg box

pulled by a 400N force, inclined at 300 to
9. the horizontal. If the coefficient of sliding
friction is 0.50, calculate the:
A body of mass 8kg is on the point of
slipping down a rough plane of inclination i. Frictional force
300 to the horizontal. What is the ii. Acceleration of the box
magnitude of the force P which, when iii. Work done to move the box
applied along the plane will just move it through a horizontal distance of
up? 10m
13.
10.
A spherical ball is moved up an inclined
A particle of mass 10kg is placed on a
plane which has an angle of 300, with an
rough plane inclined at an angle of 300 to
initial sped of 5m/s. The coefficient of
the horizontal. What force acting parallel
static and kinetic friction between the
to the plane is required
block and the surface are 0.44 and 0.36
(i) to hold the particle at rest? respectively. Calculate the distance moved
(ii) to just make the particle move by the ball before coming to rest.
up the plane?
11.

A particle of mass 5kg is placed on a

smooth plane inclined at an angle of 300 to
the horizontal. What force

(i) acting parallel to the plane

(ii) acting horizontally

is required to hold the particle

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