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Free-Body Diagrams

Slideshow with notes about making and interpreting free body diagrams in an elementary physics course

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John Warrycraft
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231 views

Free-Body Diagrams

Slideshow with notes about making and interpreting free body diagrams in an elementary physics course

Uploaded by

John Warrycraft
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Free-Body Diagrams

(FBD)
A free-body diagram is a very simple
representation of all of the forces on an
object.

Unfortunately for the artsy folk out there, we


keep them as simple as possible so that we
can quickly and accurately see only the
necessary info.
aka all of our objects are boxes.
Free-body diagrams
Free-body
diagrams are
pictures that
show the size
and direction of
all forces acting
on an object.
Steps to drawing a free body diagram

1.Pick one object to analyze

2.Draw a box to represent the object

3.Draw an arrow to represent each force


acting on the object

4.Make sure the arrow shows the direction


and relative size of the force
Force Symbol Definition Direction

Friction fs or fk The contact force that acts to oppose Parallel to surface &
sliding motion between surfaces. Static opposite direction of
friction exists between objects which are applied force (static) or
not moving; kinetic friction exists motion (kinetic).
between relatively moving objects.
Normal Fn or N The contact force exerted by a surface At a right angle to the
on an object. surface an object lies on
Spring Fs The push or pull a spring exerts due to Opposite the
displacement from its resting displacement of the
(equilibrium) position. spring
Tension T The pull exerted by a string, rope, or Away from object &
cable when attached to a body & pulled parallel to spring, rope
taut or cable at point of
attachment
Weight Fg or W A long-range force due to gravitational Straight down towards
attraction between two objects, the center of earth –
generally Earth & an object regardless of how the
object is oriented.
Applied F, Fapp, A force specified in a particular problem Generally stated in the
Force F1,2,3,etc or scenario. Generally in the form of a problem or through
push or a pull on an object. context.
Problem 1
A book is at rest on a table top. Diagram the
forces acting on the book.
Problem 1
In this diagram, there are normal and
gravitational forces on the book. The
forces are balanced, so they cancel
out.
N

W
Problem 2
An egg is free-falling from a nest in a tree.
Neglect air resistance. Draw a free-body
diagram showing the forces involved.
Problem 2
Gravity is the only force acting on the egg
as it falls. There is no force to balance
it, so the unbalanced forces cause the
egg to accelerate down.

W
Problem 3
A rightward force is applied to a book at
rest, in order to move it across a desk.
Consider frictional forces. Neglect air
resistance. Construct a free-body diagram
for the book.
The applied force is in the direction stated in
the problem. Friction points opposite
motion (and is kinetic, because the book is
moving). The normal and weight forces
still exist on our picture.
N
Fk Fapp

W
Problem 5
A skydiver is falling with a constant velocity.
Consider air resistance. Draw a free-body
diagram for the skydiver.
Gravity pulls down on
the skydiver, while Fk
air resistance
pushes up as she
falls.

W
Problem 6
A football is moving upwards toward its peak
after having been booted by the punter.
Neglect air resistance. Draw a free-body
diagram of the football in mid-air.
The force of
gravity is the
only force
described,
since we
discount air
resistance. W
Problem 8
A car runs out of gas and coasts to a stop
on flat ground. Draw a free body diagram
of the forces acting on the car.
Because the car is
just coasting,
there is just the N
dragging friction Fk
of the road (left
pointing arrow)
as well as the
usual gravity and W
normal forces.

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