In physics, a force is an action that can cause an object to change its velocity or its shape, or to resist other forces, or to cause changes of pressure in a fluid. In mechanics, force makes ideas like ' pushing' or ' pulling' mathematically precise. Force, in mechanics, any action that tends to maintain or alter the motion of a body or to distort it.

Understanding the Context

The concept of force is commonly explained in terms of Isaac Newton’s three laws of motion. Because force has both magnitude and direction, it is a vector quantity. force, compel, coerce, constrain, oblige mean to make someone or something yield. force is the general term and implies the overcoming of resistance by the exertion of strength, power, or duress.

Key Insights

A force is a push or pull that acts upon an object as a result of that objects interactions with its surroundings. In this Lesson, The Physics Classroom differentiates between the various types of forces that an object could encounter. The force on an object equals the object’s mass multiplied by its acceleration. When one object exerts a force on another object, the second object exerts an equal and opposite force on the first. When multiple forces act on an object, the forces combine.

Final Thoughts

Adding together all of the forces acting on an object gives the total force, or net force. An external force is a force that acts on an object within the system from outside the system. A force is a push or pull that acts upon an object as a result of that objects interactions with its surroundings. In this Lesson, The Physics Classroom details that nature of these forces, discussing both contact and non-contact forces.