Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Net force refers to the overall force acting on an object when all individual forces are combined. It represents the vector sum of all forces acting on an object and determines its acceleration according to Newton's second law.
Equilibrium occurs when there is no net force acting on an object, resulting in zero acceleration. The object can be at rest or moving with a constant velocity.
Friction: Friction is the force that opposes motion between two surfaces in contact. It acts in the opposite direction to the applied force and affects the net force acting on an object.