Is Force a Concept or a Real Aspect?

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In summary, the OP seems to be arguing that force is an abstract concept that only exists in someone's head, and that energy must be used to generate it.
  • #1
MooMansun
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On a different note:

If force is a manifestation of Energy, then the conservation of energy must apply.

If the conservation of energy does not affect the value of force, would that make force an abstract concept, rather than a manifestation of a real event?

Is force a concept or real aspect of a given system?
 
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  • #2
What ARE you talking about?

What do you mean by the statement "force is a manifestation of energy"? In physics, force and energy have specific operational meanings. They aren't the same thing.

Objects exert forces on each other. Under some conditions, mechanical energy is conserved; under other conditions, it is not. So what?

To talk about force being conserved, in the same sense that mechanical energy is conserved, is meaningless. You can easily multiply the effective force generated by using a simple machine (a pulley system, for example). In such a case, ignoring losses to friction, mechanical energy is conserved.
 
  • #3
MooMansun said:
On a different note:
If force is a manifestation of Energy, then the conservation of energy must apply.
If the conservation of energy does not affect the value of force, would that make force an abstract concept, rather than a manifestation of a real event?
Is force a concept or real aspect of a given system?

Can you please show in the Lagrangian/Hamiltonian formulation where is the concept of "force" being used?

Zz.
 
  • #4
In physics, force and energy have specific operational meanings. You can easily multiply the effective force generated by using a simple machine (a pulley system, for example).

I am aware of this, you are missing my point. Whilst they have separate operational meanings, a 'force' must be transmitted somehow. This requires energy, otherwise when we refer to a force we are referring to some abstract notion.

As for multiplying force, we can do the same with energy, think about adding additional batteries to a circuit.

Is this the case? Is force an abstract concept?
 
  • #5
MooMansun said:
Whilst they have separate operational meanings, a 'force' must be transmitted somehow. This requires energy, otherwise when we refer to a force we are referring to some abstract notion.
No. It is clear from that that you don't understand either force or energy. Since these have practical definitions, it is best to illustrate with a practical example:

A book sitting on a table has a mass of 1kg. It exerts a force of 9.8N on the table and the table exerts a force of 9.8N on it. The book and the table will exert these forces on each other for all of eternity, but no energy will change hands.

Do you understand the above example?

As for how these forces work, when you get microscopic, the forces are imparted via electromagnetic repulsion at the atomic level. But how that works, exactly, is far beyond what you are ready to deal with. Start with understanding how these things work on a macroscopic/Newtonian level.

edit: I just saw the other thread. The basic problem here is the refusal to accept a definition and the refusal to accept that you have an incorrect understanding of the subject. You don't seem willing to learn, so I wash my hands of this - good luck, guys.

edit1: Since I'm not sure you ever got a clear answer, the answer to your original question (who was right in your argument in the other forum), the answer is neither of you. In the problem given, F=f is wrong(as some people said, finding the force "f" requires some calculations involving torque and moment of inertia to see how much of the force goes into rotating the object and how much goes into displacing it) and F=f-e is gibberish.
 
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  • #6
A book sitting on a table has a mass of 1kg. It exerts a force of 9.8N on the table and the table exerts a force of 9.8N on it. The book and the table will exert these forces on each other for all of eternity, but no energy will change hands.

From this example, it would appear that you are saying it is an abstract concept, something that only exists in a person's head.

Otherwise, if it is real then to 'exert' something energy MUST be used. Not only this, but the upthrust and downthrust would need to be transmitted somehow between the book in the table. Something like a higgs boson for force.

There is only two choices, quantum carrier or fictional concept?
 
  • #7
It appears that you seem to have used what you gathered here and there (I'm guessing from the internet) to form your knowledge. It explains why everything you have said is utterly incoherent.

This thread has deteorated like the other one. I'm sticking a fork into it because it is done.

Zz.
 

FAQ: Is Force a Concept or a Real Aspect?

What is force?

Force is a physical quantity that describes the interaction between two objects or bodies. It can cause a change in the motion or shape of an object.

What are the different types of forces?

There are four fundamental forces in nature: gravity, electromagnetism, strong nuclear force, and weak nuclear force. Other types of forces include friction, tension, and normal force.

How is force measured?

Force is measured in Newtons (N). One Newton is equal to the force required to accelerate a mass of one kilogram by one meter per second squared.

What is Newton's laws of motion?

Newton's laws of motion are three physical laws that describe the relationship between an object's motion and the forces acting on it. They are: 1) an object at rest will remain at rest and an object in motion will remain in motion unless acted upon by an external force, 2) force equals mass times acceleration, and 3) for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

How does force affect motion?

Force can cause a change in the velocity, direction, or shape of an object. It can either increase or decrease an object's speed, or cause it to accelerate, decelerate, or change direction. Forces can also balance each other out, resulting in no change in motion.

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