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Physics Classroom: Drawing Free-Body Diagrams
written by Tom Henderson
This tutorial explains how free body diagrams are used in solving problems involving Newton's Second Law. This tutorials demonstrates how to draw free body diagrams, what the diagram means to Physics, and includes practice problems for the student. This tutorial also includes other tutorials, animations, and student activities in other concepts of Physics.

The Physics Classroom is a set of resources created for learners and teachers of high school physics. It includes comprehensive tutorials, problem sets with solutions, extra help for struggling students, Shockwave animations, multimedia learning modules, labs, and photo gallery.
https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/newtlaws/U2L2c.cfm
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Classical Mechanics
- Newton's Second Law
= Interacting Objects
- High School
- Lower Undergraduate
- Instructional Material
= Tutorial
Intended Users Formats Ratings
- Learners
- text/html
- image/gif
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Access Rights:
Free access
Restriction:
© 1996 Tom Henderson
Keywords:
FBD, Newton's Laws, Newton's Laws of Motion, force diagrams, force representations, forces, free body diagram, net force, tutorial
Record Cloner:
Metadata instance created March 27, 2011 by Tom Henderson
Record Updated:
July 13, 2012 by Zachary Davis
Last Update
when Cataloged:
July 1, 2011
Other Collections:

AAAS Benchmark Alignments (2008 Version)

11. Common Themes

11B. Models
  • 6-8: 11B/M1. Models are often used to think about processes that happen too slowly, too quickly, or on too small a scale to observe directly. They are also used for processes that are too vast, too complex, or too dangerous to study.
ComPADRE is beta testing Citation Styles!

Record Link
AIP Format
T. Henderson, (1996), WWW Document, (https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/newtlaws/U2L2c.cfm).
AJP/PRST-PER
T. Henderson, Physics Classroom: Drawing Free-Body Diagrams (1996), <https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/newtlaws/U2L2c.cfm>.
APA Format
Henderson, T. (2011, July 1). Physics Classroom: Drawing Free-Body Diagrams. Retrieved March 26, 2025, from https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/newtlaws/U2L2c.cfm
Chicago Format
Henderson, Tom. Physics Classroom: Drawing Free-Body Diagrams. July 1, 2011. https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/newtlaws/U2L2c.cfm (accessed 26 March 2025).
MLA Format
Henderson, Tom. Physics Classroom: Drawing Free-Body Diagrams. 1996. 1 July 2011. 26 Mar. 2025 <https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/newtlaws/U2L2c.cfm>.
BibTeX Export Format
@misc{ Author = "Tom Henderson", Title = {Physics Classroom: Drawing Free-Body Diagrams}, Volume = {2025}, Number = {26 March 2025}, Month = {July 1, 2011}, Year = {1996} }
Refer Export Format

%A Tom Henderson %T Physics Classroom: Drawing Free-Body Diagrams %D July 1, 2011 %U https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/newtlaws/U2L2c.cfm %O text/html

EndNote Export Format

%0 Electronic Source %A Henderson, Tom %D July 1, 2011 %T Physics Classroom: Drawing Free-Body Diagrams %V 2025 %N 26 March 2025 %8 July 1, 2011 %9 text/html %U https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/newtlaws/U2L2c.cfm


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Citation Source Information

The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual.

The APA Style presented is based on information from APA Style.org: Electronic References.

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Physics Classroom: Drawing Free-Body Diagrams:

Has Student Extra Physics Classroom: Newton's Laws of Motion - Problem Set

Improve your problem-solving skills with problems, answers and solutions from The Calculator Pad.

relation by Tom Henderson
Has Student Extra Flickr Physics

Visit The Physics Classroom's Flickr Galleries and take a visual overview of Newton's laws of motion.

relation by Tom Henderson
Has Student Extra Shockwave Studios

Practice makes perfect. Try the Free Body Diagrams activity from the Shockwave Physics Studios.

relation by Tom Henderson
Has Teaching Guide Shockwave Studios

Test your students' understanding with the Free Body Diagrams activity from the Shockwave Studios.

relation by Tom Henderson
Has Teaching Guide Curriculum Corner

Learning requires action. Give your students this sense-making activity from The Curriculum Corner.

relation by Tom Henderson
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