Define the following terms
(i) force
(ii) friction
(iii) inertia
(i) Force: Force is a physical quantity that describes the interaction between two objects or bodies. It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction. Force can cause objects to change their motion, either by accelerating, decelerating, or changing direction.
(ii) Friction: Friction is a force that opposes the motion or potential motion of an object. It arises whenever two objects are in contact with each other and is caused by the microscopic interactions between the surfaces of the objects. Friction can play a crucial role in preventing objects from slipping or sliding and in causing wear and tear.
(iii) Inertia: Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion. It is a property possessed by all matter. An object with a large mass has a higher inertia and requires more force to accelerate or decelerate. This is because inertia is directly proportional to mass – the greater the mass, the greater the inertia. Inertia is characterized by Newton's first law of motion: an object at rest will remain at rest, and an object in motion will keep moving at a constant speed in a straight line, unless acted upon by an external force.
(i) Force: Force is a physical quantity that can change the state of motion or shape of an object. It is a vector quantity, which means it has both magnitude and direction. Force is described by Isaac Newton's second law of motion, which states that force is directly proportional to mass and acceleration. The SI unit of force is the newton (N).
(ii) Friction: Friction is a force that opposes the relative motion of two surfaces in contact. Whenever two surfaces slide, roll, or are in contact and tend to move relative to each other, friction acts to resist this motion. Frictional forces arise due to the roughness of surfaces and the interlocking of irregularities. It can be classified as static friction (when objects are not in motion), kinetic friction (when objects are in motion), and rolling friction (when objects roll over each other). The unit of frictional force is the newton (N).
(iii) Inertia: Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion. It is the property of matter by which an object remains at rest or maintains its uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force. Inertia is directly related to an object's mass, where greater mass results in greater inertia. It explains why objects tend to stay at rest or in motion until acted upon by an external force. Inertia is a fundamental concept in Newton's laws of motion.