Defining Force
Key Questions
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No, force is a vector quantity, it is defined by its magnitude and direction.
Common vector quantities are displacement, velocity, acceleration and force.
Common scalar quantities are distance, speed, work and energy.
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Put simply, a force is something which changes the momentum of an object. The magnitude of a force is the rate of change of momentum caused.
This is shown by manipulation of the famous equation
#F=ma# #F=ma=m(v_(f)-v_i)/t=(p_(f)-p_i)/t# Where
#F# is the force
#m# is the mass of the object
#a# is acceleration, which is the rate of change of velocity
#v_i# is the initial velocity of the object which the force acts upon
#v_f# is the object's final velocity
#t# is time
#p# is momentum, which is equal to#mxxv# Extra info:
Of course, because force is the rate of change of momentum, it can be linked to an object whose mass changes while velocity remains constant.#F=(p_(f)-p_i)/t=v(m_(f)-m_i)/t# Where
#m_f# is final mass and#m_i# is initial mass.Force can also be related to an object whose mass and velocity change simultaneously, but those equations involve calculus, so I won't include those here.