You stick a paper onto a fridge with a magnet. There are two free body diagrams, one for the paper and one for the magnet. What are the forces acting on each object, which way do they point?
To determine the forces acting on each object in this scenario, we need to consider the forces involved: gravity acting on the paper and the magnetic force acting on the magnet.
For the paper:
1. Gravity: The force of gravity acts vertically downward, towards the center of the Earth. It can be represented by an arrow pointing downward.
For the magnet:
1. Magnetic Force: When attached to a fridge, the magnet sticks to it due to magnetic force. This force points vertically upward, opposing the force of gravity on the paper.
So, to summarize:
- The force acting on the paper is gravity, pointing downward.
- The force acting on the magnet is the magnetic force, pointing upward.
Via free body diagrams, these forces can be represented by arrows pointing in the respective directions mentioned above.