What is SI unit of force
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The SI unit of force is the newton (N).
Explanation
Force is a physical quantity that causes an object to accelerate. In physics, force is defined by Newton’s Second Law of Motion, which states:
Force = mass × acceleration
This formula shows that force depends on two quantities: mass (measured in kilograms, kg) and acceleration (measured in meters per second squared, m/s²). From this equation, the unit of force can be derived as:
1 newton (N) = 1 kilogram × 1 meter per second squared (1 kg·m/s²)
So, a force of one newton is the amount needed to accelerate a one-kilogram mass by one meter per second squared.
The unit “newton” is named in honor of Sir Isaac Newton, who formulated the laws of motion and gravitation. It is a derived unit in the International System of Units (SI) because it is based on more fundamental SI units—kilogram (for mass), meter (for distance), and second (for time).
Force is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction. This is important because the effect of a force depends not just on how much force is applied but also on where and in what direction it is applied.
The newton is commonly used in many fields of science and engineering. For example:
- In mechanics, it is used to measure how much force is applied to move or stop an object.
- In structural engineering, newtons help determine how much weight a beam can support.
- In physics labs, spring scales are often calibrated in newtons.
Other non-SI units of force, like the dyne (in the CGS system) or pound-force (in the imperial system), are sometimes used, but the newton remains the global standard in scientific work.
