Force Vector

Abstract

Force may be defined as mechanical disturbance or load. When you pull or push an object, you apply a force to it. You also exert a force when you throw or kick a ball. In all of these cases, the force is associated with the result of muscular activity. A force acting on an object can deform the object, change its state of motion, or both. Although forces cause motion, it does not necessarily follow that force is always associated with motion. For example, a person sitting on a chair applies his/her weight on the chair, and yet the chair remains stationary. There are relatively few basic laws that govern the relationship between force and motion. These laws will be discussed in detail in later chapters.