In science, specifically in physics, a force is defined as an influence that can cause an object to change its velocity, which means it can cause the object to accelerate or decelerate, or alter its motion in some way unless balanced by other forces. Force can also cause an object to change its shape or be distorted
. Key points about force include:
- Force is a vector quantity , meaning it has both magnitude (size) and direction
- The SI unit of force is the newton (N) , named after Isaac Newton
- Force can be thought of as a push or pull acting on an object due to interaction with another object
- According to Newton's Second Law of Motion , the net force acting on an object equals the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration: F=ma\mathbf{F}=m\mathbf{a}F=ma
- Newton's Third Law states that forces always come in pairs: for every action force, there is an equal and opposite reaction force
- Forces are broadly categorized into contact forces (like friction and tension) and non-contact forces (like gravity and electromagnetic forces)
In summary, force is a fundamental concept in physics that explains how objects move or change shape due to interactions, and it is central to understanding motion and mechanics.
