In this article, I would discuss what are free body diagrams in physics and how to make one. Free body diagrams are of immense importance when one wants to study physics. You will find a great deal of their usage while studying mechanics and they have equal importance when it comes to other branches of physics. However, I will discuss their usage and construction in context to mechanics. Show Free body diagrams definitionA free-body diagram is a sketch of the body of interest and the forces acting on the body. With the help of a free body diagram, you can precisely define the body(or object under consideration) to which you are applying mechanical equations and the forces that are needed to be considered. So drawing a free body diagram makes it easier for us to understand the forces, torques, or moments and apart from that, it gives you a view of how to apply the proper concepts in order to solve your problem. Some of the properties and features of free body diagrams are as given below
How to draw a free body diagram
(e) N is the normal force (f) $F_{net}$ is the net force in the system
Examples on Free Body Diagrams(1) Book on a table mg -> Weight of the book R -> Contact force between table and book (2) Free body diagram for an object slowing down with friction on a horizontal floor mg -> Weight of the book R -> Contact force between table and book f -> Friction force between the object and horizontal floor (3) A set of blocks tied together by a string is being pulled by a force Let T be the tension in the string, then free body diagrams of the blocks will be R1 -> Contact force or Normal Force between block m1 and horizontal floor m1g -> Weight of the block T -> Tension of the string R2 -> Contact force or Normal Force between block m2 and horizontal floor m2g -> Weight of the block T -> Tension of the string F -> Force applied on the body (4) Free body diagram of Atwood Machine Let T be the tension in the string, then free body diagram of both the blocks will be Here we have learned about free body diagrams and how to draw one. So you can use this knowledge for solving problems in physics. What is freeFree-body diagrams are diagrams used to show the relative magnitude and direction of all forces acting upon an object in a given situation. A free-body diagram is a special example of the vector diagrams that were discussed in an earlier unit. These diagrams will be used throughout our study of physics.
What is freeA free-body diagram is a drawing of a part of a complete system, isolated in order to determine the forces acting on that rigid body.
What do you mean by freeThe term free body is usually associated with the motion of a free body diagram, a pictorial device used by physicists and engineers. In that context, a body is said to be "free" when it is singled out from other bodies for the purposes of dynamic or static analysis.
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