Science Department

UNITY SECONDARY SCHOOL

PHYSICS

CHAPTER 3: FORCES
ANSWERS

NAME:_____________________( ) CLASS: _________ DATE: __________

Exercise 3A: Forces

1. a push or a pull
Definition: A force is a _____________________________________.

2. magnitude
Force is a vector and has both ________________ direction
and _________________.

3. Newton
What is the SI Unit of force? _____________________

4. A force can

 start moving
cause a stationary body to __________________________________ and
stop
a moving body to _____________________________ moving

 Increase or decrease
__________________ the speed of the moving body
(accelerate or decelerate the body)

 direction
cause a moving body to change its _____________________ of motion

5. Complete the table below.

Type of force Nature of force

Tension The pull at both ends of a stretched spring

Electric force The force between electric charges .

Gravitational The force of attraction between masses .

The force that opposes motion between two surfaces in

Friction
contact.

Chapter 3: Forces
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Science Department

UNITY SECONDARY SCHOOL

PHYSICS

CHAPTER 3: FORCES
ANSWERS

NAME:_____________________( ) CLASS: _________ DATE: __________

Exercise 3B: Scalars, Vectors and Parallelogram Law of Vector Addition

1. The force of gravity on a body is a vector quantity because it ________.

A. Has size and direction
B. Acts in a vertical direction
C. Is a force of attraction
D Has a direction but no size ( A )

2. The diagram below shows two 10N weights resting on a board and a force of
12N applied upward on the board. The total downward force acting on the
board is ________.

A. 10 N
B. 20 N
C. 2N
D 8N ( B )

Use the diagram below to answer questions 3 to 6.

A. B. C. D.

3. The diagram above show two forces of 800N and 1000N acting on a plane.
Which choice gives a resultant force of 200N upward? ( D )

4. The diagram above show two forces of 800N and 1000N acting on a plane.
Which choice gives a resultant force of 1800N upward? ( A )

5. The diagram above show two forces of 800N and 1000N acting on a plane.
Which choice gives a resultant force of 200N downward? ( B )

6. The diagram above show two forces of 800N and 1000N acting on a plane.
Which choice gives a resultant force of 1800N downward? ( C )

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7. Which of following is a vector measurement?

A. Displacement
B. Mass
C. Length
D Energy ( A )

8. A sailing boat is steered due north through the water at a steady speed. The
force exerted on the boat by the wind has a magnitude of 1200 N in a
direction 60 degrees north of east. Which of the following shows the wind
force acting on the boat?
A. B. C. D.

( B )

9. Which of the following choices shows the correct way of adding up vectors
using the parallelogram law?

A. B. C. D.

( A )

10. The figure below shows a 9 N and 12 N force acting at right angles.
9N

12 N
Which of the following shows the resultant force?

A. B. C. D.

( C )

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11. Two forces are acting on a circular disc as shown below.

Which arrow in the figure below best shows the line of action of the resultant
force? B.

C.
A.
D.
( B )

12. What are scalar and vector quantities? Give one example of each.

Scalar quantities are quantities that consist of only magnitude. Vector quantites
______________________________________________________________

are quantities that consist of magnitude and direction. Examples of scalar:

______________________________________________________________

length, mass, time, speed, energy, power and density. Examples of vector:
______________________________________________________________

displacement, velocity, acceleration, force and moment.

______________________________________________________________

13. Two forces F1 and F2 act on a small bead P as shown below. A third force F3
acts on P so that it is in equilibrium. What is the magnitude and direction of F3
if 1 cm represent 1 N?
length of resultant  2 2  5 2
 5.39 cm
resultant force  5.39 N
2
x  tan  1
5
 21.8
2 cm

F3=5.39N

5 cm

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Science Department

14. Using a scale 1 cm : 1 N, find the resultant force by scale drawing for each
case.

(i)
resultant force  1 N
7 cm

(ii) resultant force  1 N

1 cm

(iii)
resultant force  5 N
3 cm
5 cm

4 cm

3 cm
(iv)
resultant force  6.1 N
30°

30° 6.1 cm

4 cm

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Science Department

15. A bob of weight 40 N is suspended by a string at P. The bob is pulled to one

side by a spring balance, which registers a reading of 30 N. Calculate the
magnitude and direction of the tension in the string.

Scale: 1 cm rep 5 N

6 cm (30 N)

8 cm (40 N)
10 cm

53°

Resultant force (tension) = 10 x 5 N = 50 N

Angle of string formed with the horizontal = 53°

Chapter 3: Forces
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Science Department

UNITY SECONDARY SCHOOL

PHYSICS

CHAPTER 3: FORCES
ANSWERS

NAME:_____________________( ) CLASS: _________ DATE: __________

Exercise 3C: Newton’s 1st and 2nd Law of motion

1. Newton’s First Law of Motion:

at rest
“An object _________________ will remain ______________________
at rest and
an object __________________will
in motion continue ______________________at
moving
constant speed
____________________________ straight line
in a ________________________ in the
net force
absence of ______________________ acting on it.”

2. When all forces are (balanced/ unbalanced), there is no net force.

3. Newton’s 2nd Law of Motion:

(a) The net force acting on an object is expressed as

mass acceleration
Net force = __________ X _________________

(b) The direction of net force acting on an object is ________________

same as

the direction of its acceleration.

4. When all forces are (balanced/ unbalanced), there is a net force.

5. Complete the table below.

Mass Force Acceleration

5 kg 50 N 10 m/s2

10 kg 20 N 2 m/s2

20 g 0.06 N 3 m/s2

10 kg 500 N 50 m/s2

100g 2N 20 m/s2

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6. For the below figures, find the resultant force acting on the object and the
acceleration experienced by it.

(a) Fnet  15  5  20 N
5N
Fnet 20 N
5 kg a   4m / s 2
m 5 kg
15 N

(b) Fnet  15  5  10 N
5N 15 N
10 N
5 kg a  2m / s 2
5 kg

(c)
15 N Fnet  15  5  10  0 N
5N
0N
10 kg a  0m / s 2
5 kg

10 N

7. A trolley of mass 3 kg is pushed by a constant force along a frictionless

surface.

(a) If the acceleration is 2m/s2, what is the magnitude of the force?

Fnet  ( 3kg )( 2 m / s 2 )  6 N
(b) If the force applied is 3 N, what is the acceleration of the trolley?
Fnet 6 N
a  2m / s 2
m 3kg
(c) A 1 kg mass is now placed on the trolley.
(i) What magnitude of force is required now to move it with an
acceleration of 2m/s2?

Fnet  ( 4 kg )( 2 m / s 2 )  8 N

(ii) What is the acceleration of the trolley if the force applied is 3 N?

F 3N
a  net   0.75 m / s 2
m 4 kg

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Science Department

8. An object has a mass of 100 kg is initially stationary.

(a) What is the resultant force acting on the object if it moves with an
acceleration of 0.2 m/ s2?

Fnet  ( 100 kg )( 0.2 m / s 2 )  20 N

(b) What is the acceleration experienced by the object when a force of

100 N acts on it?
Fnet 100 N
a   1m / s 2
m 100 kg

(c) What is the resultant force acting on the object if it moves with a
constant speed of 5 m/s?

Fnet  0 N

(d) What is the final speed of the object if a force of 50 N acts on it for10s?

Fnet 50 N v  u  at
a   0.5 m / s 2
m 100 kg  0  ( 0.5 )( 10 )
 5m / s

9. The figure below shows the speed time graph of a vehicle whose mass is
1000 kg.

Speed / ms-1
30

20

10

0 2 4 6 8 10 Time /s
(a) Is the speed of the vehicle constant over the first 10 s? Explain your
answer.
No. The graph shows that the speed in increasing constantly at 3m/s in every 1
________________________________________________________
sec. (Or the graph shows that the sloping straight line has a constant gradient.)
________________________________________________________

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(b) Does the vehicle have acceleration? What is the value of its
acceleration, if any?
v  u 30  0
Yes. a   3m / s 2
t 10
(c) What is the resultant force acting on the vehicle?

Fnet  ( 1000 kg )( 3m / s 2 )  3000 N

10. For an object to move with constant velocity, ______________

A the net force on it must be zero.
B a resultant force must act on it.
C it must move in a circle.
D there must be a push acting on it. (A )

11. For an object to move with higher acceleration,

A The force acting on it is lower
B The force acting on it is higher
C The force acting on it is zero
D None of the above (B )

12. A 1000 N hot-air balloon is rising into the sky with a constant speed of 5 m/s,
what is the upward force acting on the hot-air balloon?
A 0N
B 100 N
C 200 N
D 1000 N ( D )

13. A 5000 kg submarine is sinking at a constant speed of 10 m/s, what is the

resultant force acting on the submarine?
A 0N
B 500 N
C 5000 N
D 50,000 N (A )

14. An object at rest is being pushed by a force from the left and an equal force
acted from the right at the same time. What will happen to the object?
A continue to be at rest
B moves either to the right or to the left
C moves either to the top or to the bottom
D rotates in circle (A )

15. An object at rest is being pushed by a force from the left. An equal force
pushed the object from the right after some time. What will happen to the
object?
A continue to be at rest
B moves to the right at a constant speed
C moves to the left at a constant speed
D rotates in circle (B )

Chapter 3: Forces
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Science Department

UNITY SECONDARY SCHOOL

PHYSICS

CHAPTER 3: FORCES
ANSWERS

NAME:_____________________( ) CLASS: _________ DATE: __________

Exercise 3D: Newton’s 3rd Law

1. Newton’s Third Law of Motion:

action reaction
“For every ______________, there is an equal and opposite _____________,
and these forces act on mutually __________________
opposite bodies.”
2. Friction
_____________ is a force that opposes the motion of a moving object.

3. A smooth surface has (more/ less) friction and a rough surface has
(more/ less) friction.

4. Friction is___________.
A useful
B a problem
C a force
D all of the above (D)

5. The way to reduce friction is to use glass materials rather than wood
materials to make a table. (True/False) Explain.

True. Glass materials are smoother than wood.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

6. One way to reduce friction is to use rough surfaces. (True/False) Explain.

False. Rough surfaces has lots of friction.

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

7. Why do you think the chopsticks are made of wood instead of glass?

Wood has high friction compare to glass. Therefore, the chopsticks are able to
_____________________________________________________________

grip food without slipping.

_____________________________________________________________

8. Name 4 ways to reduce friction.

Use lubricant, wheels and rollers and air layers.
_____________________________________________________________
Polish the surface and to smoothen the surface. Use materials that are smooth.
_____________________________________________________________

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Science Department

9. A man pushes a case which has a total mass of 50 kg across a floor at a

constant speed of 4 m/s by exerting a horizontal force of 100 N.

(a) What is the resultant force on the case?

0N

(b) What is the frictional force acting on the case?

100 N

(c) If the force exerted by the man is increased to 120 N, what will be the
acceleration?
Fnet  ma
120 N  100 N  ( 50 kg )a
20
a  0.4 m / s 2
50
10. A 15 N force is applied to a block of mass 0.25 kg in the direction shown
below. If the frictional force action against it is 12 N, what is the acceleration
produced? Fnet  ma
15 N  12 N  ( 0.25 kg )a
3
15 N a  12 m / s 2
0.25 kg 0.25

11. The diagram below shows a car of mass 1000 kg travelling at a uniform
speed of 12 m/s.
Forward driving force

Resistive force to
motion

If the forward driving force is 2000 N, what is the magnitude of the resistive
force to the motion acting on the car?

2000 N

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12. When a wooden box of mass 10 kg is pushed along a floor with a force of 40
N, it moves with a constant speed of 40 m/s. When the box is pushed along
the same floor with a force of 100 N, it moves
2
with a constant
6 m / s
(speed/acceleration) of __________________.
Fnet  ma
100 N  40 N  ( 10 kg )a
60
a  6m / s 2
10

13. The figure below shows a car travelling at 30 m/s on a level road. At this
speed, the car has to overcome a total force of 600 N opposing the car.

opposing force driving force

600 N

(a) (i) Calculate the distance travelled by the car in 10 s.

dis tan ce  30 m / s  10 s
 300 m

(ii) State the value of the driving force produced by the engine for a
steady speed of 30 m/s.
600 N
___________________________________________________

(b) Explain why the car slows down when it climbs a hill even though the
driving force is unchanged.

________________________________________________________
Additional force due to gravity acts in the opposite direction to the driving force.

________________________________________________________
The net force and acceleration in the direction opposite to the movement of the

________________________________________________________
car. Therefore, the car now slows down.

(c) While travelling at 30 m/s on the level road, the driving force becomes
zero. The mass of the car is 800 kg. Calculate the deceleration of the
car.
Fnet  ma
0  600 N  ( 800 kg )a
 600 N
a  0.75 m / s 2
800 kg

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Science Department

14. The figure below shows a man pushing a box of mass 20 kg across a
horizontal floor at a constant speed of 0.2 m/s. The box slides without tipping.
He pushes the box by applying a constant horizontal force of 80 N.
(Assume that g = 10 m/s2)

rough floor polished floor

(a) Calculate the weight of the box.

W  mg
 20  10  200 N

(b) State the size of the frictional force acting on the box, and explain how
you obtain your answer.
80 N. The box is moving with a constant speed. So the net force is zero.
________________________________________________________
For the net force to be zero, the pushing force must be same as the frictional
________________________________________________________
force.
________________________________________________________

(c) The box then moves onto the polished section of the floor shown. As
he continues to apply the same force, the box accelerates at 1.5 ms-2
Calculate

(i) the force causing the acceleration,

Fnet  ma
 ( 20 kg )( 1.5 m / s 2 )
 30 N

(ii) the size of the frictional force.

Fnet  30 N
80 N  f  30 N
f  80  30  50 N

Chapter 3: Forces
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