Forces in action
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8. The meaning of force in Science

Motion happens when an object changes position
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The word force is much more difficult to understand because it has meanings in English (and Galician) that are different from its meanings in science.

In the movie, Star Wars, the phrase “may the force be with you” is used often. This Star Wars phrase represents just one of the many definitions for the word force in English; however, scientists think about forces in a different way.

In the menu bar, you can get the link to watch every time the phrase ¨May the force be with you ¨ is said in Star Wars.

A force (in science) is often defined as a push or pull on an object that can produce motion.

Another way to think about a force is as an interaction between two objects involving a push or a pull.

These definitions indicate that in order to have a force, two objects must be present—one object being pushed and another object doing the pushing.

The unit of force is a Newton, named for Sir Isaac Newton who spent much of his life dedicated to analysing force and motion.

A newton (N), is the force that causes a body with a mass of 1 kg to accelerate by one metre per second squared (1m/s2).

If you are interested on Sir Isaac Newton, widely recognised as one of the greatest mathematicians and physicists, watch this video.

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