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sr_philosophy
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Can you measure a force?
What? Are you asking or telling? We can not directly measure a force as Andy pointed out. A "weighing machine" as you put it, measures the deflection in a spring. That deflection is calibrated to give a force based on the particular spring constant. Most of the standard types of gauges rely on the measurement of deflection at the core to give you a desired quantity. Even that aside, you never really measure a force, you measure a pressure which is then assumed as the force over a specific area.sr_philosophy said:yes... what do you think a weighing machine reads?
Andy Resnick said:AFAIK, the only things we can directly measure are length, time, and (maybe) charge.
Force is a physical quantity that describes the push or pull on an object. It is measured using a unit called Newton (N), which is equivalent to kg*m/s². Force can be measured using various instruments such as spring scales, force sensors, or strain gauges.
There are four main types of forces: gravitational, electromagnetic, strong nuclear, and weak nuclear. Gravitational force is the force of attraction between two objects with mass. Electromagnetic force is the force between electrically charged particles. Strong nuclear force holds the nucleus of an atom together. Weak nuclear force is involved in radioactive decay.
Force is applied in many real-life situations, such as pushing a shopping cart, kicking a soccer ball, or lifting a book. It is also involved in more complex scenarios, like the motion of planets around the sun or the compression of a spring. Force is an essential aspect of everyday life and is involved in almost all physical interactions.
The most commonly used unit of force is Newton (N). Other commonly used units include pound-force (lbf) and kilogram-force (kgf). In some fields, such as engineering, the pound (lb) is also used as a unit of force. However, it is important to note that the pound is a unit of mass, and the lbf is a unit of force.
According to Newton's first law of motion, an object at rest will remain at rest, and an object in motion will continue in motion with a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force. This means that force can change the speed, direction, or state of motion of an object. The larger the force, the greater the impact it will have on the object's motion.