Force, Acceleration, mass and time

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the relationship between force, acceleration, mass, and time, particularly in the context of stopping a moving object. Participants explore the implications of applying different forces over varying time intervals to decelerate an object, as well as the forces involved when an object collides with a wall.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant asserts that a force of 10N is required to stop a 1kg object moving at 10m/s, questioning whether this force must be applied for one second to achieve a complete stop.
  • Another participant agrees that applying 10N for one second would stop the object, but emphasizes that the stopping time can vary based on the force applied.
  • There is a discussion about the effect of applying a force for half a second, with one participant suggesting it would decelerate the object to 5m/s, while a force of 20N for half a second could stop it completely.
  • Concerns are raised about the forces a wall must exert to stop an object, with one participant indicating that these forces can be significantly greater than 10N when stopping an object in fractions of a second.
  • Another participant notes that the forces involved in a collision with a wall can be orders of magnitude greater than typical forces, highlighting the dangers of such impacts.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the basic principles of force and motion, but there are nuances regarding the specifics of force application, stopping time, and the forces involved in collisions, indicating that multiple views remain on these aspects.

Contextual Notes

There are assumptions about the constancy of force and the ideal conditions under which these discussions take place. The discussion does not resolve the complexities of real-world collisions or the exact nature of forces involved.

V0ODO0CH1LD
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If I have a 1kg object moving on a straight path at 10m/s, I have to apply a force of 10N in the opposite direction to its trajectory to stop it completely, right? Does that mean I have to apply a force of 10N for one second to stop it completely? In that case, would a force of 10N for half a second only decelerate it to 5m/s and a force of 20N take half a second to stop it? And if that is the case wouldn't a wall have to apply a force much greater than 10m/s to stop the object, as it does, in fractions of a second?
 
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V0ODO0CH1LD said:
If I have a 1kg object moving on a straight path at 10m/s, I have to apply a force of 10N in the opposite direction to its trajectory to stop it completely, right?
Not necessarily. It all depends on how quickly you want to stop it.
Does that mean I have to apply a force of 10N for one second to stop it completely?
If you do apply such a force for such a time, then you will stop it completely.
In that case, would a force of 10N for half a second only decelerate it to 5m/s and a force of 20N take half a second to stop it?
Exactly.
And if that is the case wouldn't a wall have to apply a force much greater than 10m/s to stop the object, as it does, in fractions of a second?
Yes.
 
Thank you! That really helped!
 
V0ODO0CH1LD said:
And if that is the case wouldn't a wall have to apply a force much greater than 10 N (you used the wrong units) to stop the object, as it does, in fractions of a second?

Yes, the forces when hitting a wall can easily be orders of magnitude greater than "regular" forces, which is exactly why you don't want to run your car into a wall.
 
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