For example, if I take a slap shot on a hockey puck, from what I understand, the forces acting on the puck are friction, the normal force, and the puck's weight. And, since I'm not constantly either pushing the puck, or pulling the puck there are no other forces acting on the puck, because me shooting the puck was just a one time force. Am I thinking about this correctly?
1
-
$\begingroup$ Depends on the time frame you look at. You could consider your driving force to be a one time event or you could model it as a time interval of acceleration (which is of course short, compared to the time, the puck travels on ice without this force). $\endgroup$– engineerCommented May 28, 2015 at 6:21
Add a comment
|
1 Answer
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
2
Yes, you are thinking about it correctly. No force is required to keep the puck in motion. This is an important idea in physics. It is actually a common misconception among physics students that a force is required to keep an object in motion, so it is good you do not have this misconception.
-
4$\begingroup$ "Physics students" here includes Aristotle, for instance $\endgroup$ Commented May 27, 2015 at 15:34
-
$\begingroup$ Or Zeno who did not believe in motion at all. $\endgroup$ Commented May 27, 2015 at 19:10