Free Body Diagram
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A graphical representation used to analyse analyze the forces exerted on objects by other objectsa single system by its environment. |
Step 1. Draw a sketch of the situation described in the problem.
Step 2. Circle an the object (objects) of interest in the sketch. This is called the system. (In this example is the system contains only one object: the box.)
Step 3. If the object in the system is small compared to other objects in the situation being described or if all of its points move in the same way you can model the object as a point particle. Place at the side of the sketch a "particle" or you consider only its center of mass (ignoring any rotation) you can think the object to be a point particle. Draw a dot to represent the systemobject.
Step 4. Look for Identify the objects outside the system (external objects) that interact with the system. Decide what objects are important and what objects are exert forces and which are irrelevant because they do not. (In this example are the surface, the Earth and You are "pushing").
Step 5. Draw force arrows that represent arrows representing the forces originated by the external interactions that affect the behavior of the system object. Draw the tails of these force arrows beginning on the particle dot. Draw the The lengths of the arrows to should represent the relative magnitudes of the forces, and the direction should indicate the direction of the forces.
Step 6. Label the forces in the diagram. Identify the external object that causes each force and also the object on which the force is exerted. A good habit is to use clear labels indicating the object outside the system that is exerting the force on the object inside the system. (In this example, FYou on Box, means the force that You exert on the Box).
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