Resultant (net)force

List all the forces acting on the object, including their magnitudes and directions. Forces can be represented as vectors.

If forces are acting at angles, resolve them into their horizontal (x) and vertical (y) components. For a force F at an angle θ:

• Horizontal component: F_x = F · cos(θ)
• Vertical component: F_y = F · sin(θ)

Add all the horizontal components together to find the total horizontal force (F_net_x) and all the vertical components together for the total vertical force (F_net_y):

• F_net_x = Σ F_x
• F_net_y = Σ F_y

Use the Pythagorean theorem to find the magnitude of the resultant force (F_net):

• F_net = √(F_net_x² + F_net_y²)

Find the direction (angle θ) of the resultant force using:

• θ = tan^(-1)(F_net_y / F_net_x)

The resultant force is crucial for predicting how an object will move. If the resultant force is zero, the object is in equilibrium and will not accelerate.