What are forces?
A force can be a push or a pull.
For example, when you press a door bell with your finger in order to get it to ring you have applied a force to the door bell. A push on the door bell is the mechanism used to get it to ring.
You may also apply a force by pulling. To open a car door for example you normally have to grip then pull on the handle to open the door, this is usually done in order to allow you to get into the car. A pull on the car door is the mechanism used to open the door.
You cannot see a force but often you can see what it does. Forces can change the speed of something, the direction it is moving in or its shape. For example, an elastic band gets longer if you grasp it tightly at both ends and then pull on it.
Measuring forces
A force meter is used to measure forces.
The unit of force is called the newton, and it has the symbol N.
10 N is a bigger force than 1 N.
A hand grip force meter can be used to test the strength in the hand. It is then possible to work out from this the required strength needed to apply the brakes on a bicycle.
Forces are of interest to a Product Designer as they are a component part of Ergonomics; known as Physiology or Strength Data.
