A student claims that force need not be treated as a vector quantity in mechanics
MATHEMATICS · Multi-part · A Level · Mathematics · Forces and Newton's laws · Forces and Newton's laws
Problem
A student claims that force need not be treated as a vector quantity in mechanics. Analyse this claim in the light of the following tasks.
(i) Define force and state two characteristics that identify it as a vector physical quantity.
(ii) Describe, with a neat labelled sketch, how two non-collinear forces acting at a point can be combined graphically to obtain their single equivalent force.
(iii) Show analytically that resolving each force into mutually perpendicular components and then adding the components yields the same resultant obtained graphically.
(iv) State the condition for equilibrium of a particle under the action of several concurrent forces and explain its vector significance.