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 understand the forces acting on the paper and the magnet when the paper is stuck onto the fridge, let's analyze the situation using free body diagrams.
For the paper:
1. There is the force of gravity acting downward on the paper, represented by its weight (mg), where "m" is the mass of the paper and "g" is the acceleration due to gravity.
2. The fridge exerts an upward force on the paper, referred to as the normal force (N). This force is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the weight of the paper, ensuring that the paper remains in equilibrium and does not fall.
For the magnet:
1. The force of gravity also acts downward on the magnet, represented by its weight (mg).
2. The magnet experiences the magnetic force, which pulls it towards the fridge. This force is known as the magnetic attraction force (F).
Now, let's summarize the forces acting on each object:
For the paper:
1. Weight (mg) acting downward
2. Normal force (N) acting upward
For the magnet:
1. Weight (mg) acting downward
2. Magnetic attraction force (F) acting towards the fridge
It's important to note that the magnitudes of the normal force and the magnetic force are equal to their respective weights as long as the system is in equilibrium.