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Year 7

Using force arrows

I can draw and label force arrows to accurately represent forces acting.

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New
New
Year 7

Using force arrows

I can draw and label force arrows to accurately represent forces acting.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Force arrows show the direction of a force.
  2. The length of a force arrow shows the size of a force.
  3. A force arrow is drawn starting from a point that shows where the force acts.
  4. Force arrows are best labelled as the force acting on (object A) by (object B).

Common misconception

Force arrows are often added to diagrams carelessly without regard to accurate representation.

Draw force arrows from the point of interaction in the correct direction with a length proportional to the size of force.

Keywords

  • Force arrow - A force arrow is an arrow drawn to represent a force acting.

  • Size - The size of a force means its strength, this is represented by the length of a force arrow.

  • Direction - A force arrow must point in the same direction as the force it is representing.

A visualiser can be very useful to 'live model' the process of adding force arrows accurately to images. This lesson is also an excellent opportunity to introduce peer assessment, students can measure each other's force arrows to check them.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Forces (pushes and pulls) cannot be seen. So how do we represent forces in diagrams?
We do not draw anything to represent forces.
Forces are represented using circles.
Correct answer: Forces are represented using arrows.
Forces are represented using crosses.
Q2.
arrows are used to represent forces in diagrams.
Correct Answer: force, force, Force
Q3.
What is needed to draw straight lines of a set length?
Correct answer: pencil and ruler
protractor and ruler
pencil and protractor
ink pen and ruler
pencil
Q4.
If a 5 N force was drawn 5 cm long, how would you draw a 10 N force?
1 cm long
5 cm long
Correct answer: 10 cm long
15 cm long
10 m long
Q5.
What direction do you think arrows used to represent forces should be drawn?
pointing up
pointing down
Correct answer: pointing in the direction the force acts
pointing in the opposite direction to the direction the force acts
pointing to the object the force acts on
Q6.
What direction do gravitational forces act?
vertically upwards in a diagram
vertically downwards in a diagram
Correct answer: towards the centre of Earth
towards the surface of Earth

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
The size of a force is shown by the of a force arrow. (one word)
Correct Answer: length, Length
Q2.
The ball is being thrown forwards. Which force arrow has been drawn in the correct direction to show the force of the hands on the ball?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q3.
An ice hockey puck is sliding along ice. What is the best phrase to describe the force that slows down the puck?
friction force
the friction of the ice
the friction of the puck
Correct answer: the friction force of the ice on the puck
the friction force of the puck on the ice
Q4.
Which arrow has been correctly placed to show the force of the racket on the ball?
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q5.
Which arrow has been correctly placed to show the gravitational force of Earth on the ball?
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
An image in a quiz
Q6.
A force of 300 N is drawn 3 cm long. On the same diagram there is a also a force of 1200 N acting. How long should this force be drawn?
1.2 cm
Correct answer: 12 cm
120 cm
1200 cm