Using force to calculate distance

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the question of whether force can be used to calculate distance or displacement, particularly in scenarios involving impacts. Participants explore the relationship between force, momentum, time, and other factors affecting motion.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions if force can be used to calculate distance, suggesting a scenario involving an impact.
  • Another participant argues that distance depends on the duration of force application, indicating that force alone is insufficient for such calculations.
  • A participant proposes that momentum and time could be relevant for calculating distance, linking force applied over time to displacement.
  • There is a challenge regarding the use of momentum, with a participant noting that momentum does not directly incorporate force or time in its basic equation.
  • Another participant attempts to clarify their reasoning by referencing the units of momentum, suggesting that since velocity involves time, it could relate to distance.
  • A later reply emphasizes that knowing momentum does not provide information about the forces that acted on an object or the time duration of those forces.
  • One participant highlights that the distance an object travels after being hit depends on various factors, including environmental conditions and the object's initial velocity.
  • Another participant states that while force can contribute to finding displacement, it cannot do so in isolation and must be considered alongside time and mass.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the relationship between force, momentum, and distance. There is no consensus on how these concepts interrelate, and the discussion remains unresolved regarding the initial question.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that additional factors such as time, mass, and environmental conditions are crucial for accurately determining displacement, indicating limitations in the initial query.

Jaxson
Hey there, quick question. Can force be used to calculate distance/displacement. Like, if you know that for example, someone was hit in the chest with a certain amount of force, can that force be used to calculate a distance? Thanks.
 
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Jaxson said:
Hey there, quick question. Can force be used to calculate distance/displacement. Like, if you know that for example, someone was hit in the chest with a certain amount of force, can that force be used to calculate a distance? Thanks.

It cannot, because the distance depends on how long the force was applied. I can apply a force of 1000 Newtons to a baseball and it will only move imperceptibly if the force is only applied for a microsecond.
 
Ah ok, so does that mean that momentum and time could be used to calculate distance, because you'd have the force applied per second as well as the number of seconds?
 
I'm not following you. Momentum is P=MV, which doesn't have force or time in its equation. Are you using another equation that I'm not familiar with?
 
Sorry I'll clarify. I might be completely wrong but because the units of momentum are kgm/s, it has time in it because the velocity has time in it, it could be used to calculate distance right?
 
Jaxson said:
Sorry I'll clarify. I might be completely wrong but because the units of momentum are kgm/s, it has time in it because the velocity has time in it, it could be used to calculate distance right?

The units of momentum are ##kg\frac{m}{s}## because momentum is mass (kg) times velocity (m/s). Applying a force to an object accelerates it, which changes its velocity and thus its momentum. I think what you're wanting is the change in momentum. Just knowing the momentum of an object tells you nothing about any force that may have acted upon that object in the past, nor does knowing how long the object had its current momentum for.
 
If you hit something like a baseball you give it an initial velocity. How far it goes afterwards depends on other factors. For example it would travel much further on the moon than on earth. Even on Earth it depends on the wind etc. In deep space it might keep going indefinitely.

You can't really answer your question without knowing more about the exact situation.
 
The force can be used to find a displacement, although not by itself. You will also need to know some references to time and mass, somehow.

The unit for force is defined as ##N = kg\frac{m}{s^2}##. If you are looking for a displacement (that would be ##m##), then it could be defined as ##m = \frac{Ns^2}{kg}##, where force, mass and time must be involved.
 

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