# Force question

1. Sep 26, 2007

### klm

can someone explain to me the relationships between force and velocity and position. i have a question that shows a force vs time graph, and the force is a straight horizontal line below zero. so it is a straight horizontal line in the 4th quad, and i have to draw the position graph. but i do not understand the relationships. i know that is force is 0, then velocity is consant and that if force is a constant, above zero , then velocity will be increasing. so does that mean that if force is negative that velocity is decreasing? and that the position is an upside down parabola?

2. Sep 26, 2007

### Staff: Mentor

Force is related to acceleration by virtue of the mass of the object to which force is applied. F = ma

Acceleration (a) is the time rate of change of velocity (v), as in a = dv(t)/dt.

Force, acceleration and velocity are vectors. Mass is a scalar.

Momentum is mv, which is also a vector.

Velocity is the time rate of change of distance or position, x, as in v = dx(t)/dt.

See - http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/mot.html

The vectors should be written like $$\vec{a}$$ and $$\vec{v}$$