Physics
Resultant Force Along a Straight Line
Updated Oct 28, 2026
Combine forces with an explicit direction convention.
What you’ll learn
Combine forces with an explicit direction convention.
បូកកម្លាំងតាមបន្ទាត់តែមួយដោយកំណត់ទិសវិជ្ជមាន។
Meaning and use
A resultant is the vector sum of forces. In one dimension, choose a positive direction and add signed values. Zero resultant means no change in velocity in an inertial reference frame, not necessarily no motion. This lesson treats a straight-line model rather than forces at arbitrary angles.
កម្លាំងផ្គួបជាផលបូកវ៉ិចទ័រកម្លាំង។ ក្នុងមួយទិស ត្រូវកំណត់សញ្ញា ហើយបូកតាមទិស។ ផលបូកសូន្យមិនមានន័យថាវត្ថុត្រូវឈប់ទេ។
Formulas
Signed one-dimensional sum
\[F_{\mathrm{net}}=\sum_i F_i\]
Opposing directions
\[F_{\mathrm{net}}=F_{\mathrm{right}}-F_{\mathrm{left}}\]
Symbols and units
| Symbol | Meaning | Unit or restriction |
|---|---|---|
| Fnet | Resultant force along the chosen axis | N |
| Fright, Fleft | Positive magnitudes in opposite directions | N |
Conditions and limits
- The subtraction form assumes right has been chosen positive.
- Do not add unrelated perpendicular forces using this one-dimensional shortcut.
- កំណត់ទិសនៃចម្លើយ មិនត្រឹមតែលេខ។
Worked examples
Two opposing forces
A box has 12 N right and 5 N left.
- Choose right positive.
- Calculate \(F_{\mathrm{net}}=12-5=7\) N.
7 N right
ទិសដូចសញ្ញាវិជ្ជមានដែលបានជ្រើស។
A negative resultant
Forces are 4 N right and 10 N left.
- Calculate \(4-10=-6\) N.
- A negative value means left.
6 N left
លេខអវិជ្ជមានប្រាប់ថាទិសផ្ទុយពីទិសវិជ្ជមាន។
Common mistakes
| Instead of | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Opposing 12 N and 5 N give 17 N right. | They give 7 N right. | Opposing forces subtract in the signed model. |
| Zero resultant always means the object is stationary. | It can move at constant velocity. | Zero resultant concerns change in motion. |
Practice
Solve these before revealing the worked solutions. Include units where relevant.
សាកល្បងដោះស្រាយមុនបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ សូមបង្ហាញជំហាន និងឯកតាដែលពាក់ព័ន្ធ។
- Find resultant for 20 N right and 8 N left.
- Find resultant for 6 N left and 6 N right.
- Can the signed subtraction rule directly combine north and east forces?
Answers and steps
Show solutions / បង្ហាញដំណោះស្រាយ
-
12 N right
20 − 8 = 12.
-
0 N
The forces balance.
-
No.
Those forces are not along one common line.
Quick recap
- Choose a positive direction.
- Add signed forces along one axis.
- Report magnitude and direction.