Vectors Strike Back!
- When describing the forces on a body, vectors are essential.
- All the forces acting on one object can be shown in a free-body force diagram, where each force is shown as a vector.
- By decomposing these vectors and adding and subtracting them, we can determine the resultant force on the body.
- As all forces are vectors, free-body diagrams can be used in all sorts of situations!
- It is very important to correctly label each vector with the proper symbol and to make sure that all vectors correctly display relative lengths based on their magnitudes.
- If you're provided with a coordinate system, make sure the length of the vector is accurate to it's magnitude.
Examples of Free-Body Diagrams
- Although vectors can be moved around, they should be drawn from the center of the body.
- Or in the case of torque, they should be drawn on the point where the force is actually applied.
- Normal force can be drawn as emerging from the centre of the body or normal to the surface exerting the force.
