Question 1: Explain in your own words what a resultant force is and how it affects an object’s motion.

Answer: A resultant force is the single force that represents the vector sum of all forces acting on an object. It determines the object's acceleration and direction of motion according to Newton's second law.

Question 1: What is the difference between balanced and unbalanced forces?

Answer: Balanced forces are equal in size and opposite in direction, resulting in no change in motion. Unbalanced forces are unequal, causing acceleration or deceleration.

Question 2: Describe how vector addition is used to find the resultant force when two forces act at an angle to each other.

Answer: Vector addition involves using the parallelogram or triangle method to combine the two forces considering their magnitudes and directions, resulting in a single resultant force.

Question 1: A car is pulled with a force of 500 N east and a second force of 300 N north. Calculate the magnitude of the resultant force acting on the car.

Answer: Using Pythagoras’ theorem: R = √(500² + 300²) = √(250000 + 90000) = √340000 ≈ 583 N.

Question 2: A force of 200 N acts eastward, while a force of 150 N acts westward. What is the resultant force, and in which direction does it act?

Answer: Resultant force = 200 N east - 150 N west = 50 N east.

Question 1: Describe a simple experiment to determine the effect of different forces on the acceleration of an object, including variables and safety precautions.

Answer: An experiment could involve attaching a force sensor or pulley system to a trolley on a frictionless track, applying different known forces using weights or a force sensor, and measuring the resulting acceleration with a motion sensor. Independent variable: the applied force; dependent variable: acceleration; control variables: mass of trolley, surface friction. Safety precautions include ensuring the track is secure, avoiding overloading the system, and keeping clear of moving parts.

Question 1: A cyclist experiences a forward force of 250 N due to pedalling and a resistive force of 50 N due to air resistance and friction. What is the cyclist’s resultant force, and what does it imply about their acceleration?

Answer: Resultant force = 250 N - 50 N = 200 N forward. This positive resultant force indicates that the cyclist is accelerating forward.

Question 2: Explain how understanding resultant forces is important in designing safety features in vehicles.

Answer: Understanding resultant forces helps engineers design safety features like crumple zones, airbags, and seat belts to manage and distribute forces during collisions, reducing injury risk by controlling acceleration and impact forces experienced by occupants.

Question 1: A box of mass 10 kg is pulled across a horizontal surface with a force of 40 N at an angle of 30° above the horizontal. The frictional force opposing motion is 10 N. Calculate the net force acting on the box and its acceleration.

Answer: Resolve the applied force: horizontal component = 40 N × cos(30°) ≈ 34.6 N. Net force = 34.6 N - 10 N = 24.6 N. Acceleration = 24.6 N / 10 kg = 2.46 m/s².