(FOM) Free Body Diagrams Lesson

Free-Body Diagrams

A free-body diagram is a visual representation used to analyze the forces acting on a body. The purpose of a free-body diagram is to show all the forces acting on an object as well as indicate the magnitude and direction of each of the forces. The size of the arrow reflects the magnitude of the force. The direction of the arrow shows the direction that the force is acting. The object is usually represented by a box as seen in the example.

Free Body Diagram image: Fn (up), Fg (down), Fapp (right), Ff (left)

To review free body diagrams and see examples, please watch the videos below.

How well do you understand free-body diagrams? Test your knowledge by completing the interactive activity below.

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