The term “normal” in normal force refers to perpendicular. Normal force is a perpendicular force that surfaces exert to prevent solid objects from passing through each other.
Here are some examples of normal force in real life:
- #1 Force that supports a flower pot placed on the floor
- #2 Force that supports a plate resting on the kitchen counter
- #3 Force that supports a girl standing on the flat surface
- #4 Force that supports a television resting on the table
- #5 Force that supports an apple crate placed on the floor
- #6 Force that supports a mobile phone resting on the desk
- #7 Force that supports a candle standing on the surface
- #8 Force that supports a book placed on the table
- #9 Force that supports a water bottle placed on the floor
Let’s one by one discuss the above mentioned examples in detail.
#1 Force that supports a flower pot placed on the floor
This is a real life example of normal force. Assume that… in the balcony of your home, you have one flower placed on the floor.
If you look at a flower pot, you’ll notice how nicely that flower pot is resting on the floor. But have you ever wondered what supports this flower pot?
There must be some force acting on this flower pot which does not allow it to pass through the floor. So what’s that?
This is nothing but a normal force.
Look, when a flower pot is placed on the floor or when it is already placed on the floor, at that time… the floor exerts an upward perpendicular force on a flower pot. This perpendicular force acting on a flower pot is known as a normal force.
Because of this normal force, the flower pot does not pass through the floor and nicely rests on the floor. Therefore, when a flower pot is resting on the floor, at that time there is a normal force acting on it.
#2 Force that supports a plate resting on the kitchen counter
You’ve surely experienced this situation, at the time when you are about to sit for lunch or dinner.
When you go for lunch or dinner, the first thing that you’ll do is… you’ll take one plate and place that plate on the kitchen counter, right.
When you’ve placed your plate on the kitchen counter, at this time, you can see how nicely that plate rests on the kitchen counter.
But here, don’t you think something is supporting your plate? So that the plate does not pass through the kitchen counter.
Can you guess what’s stopping your plate from passing it through the kitchen counter?
This is nothing but a normal force that stops the plate from passing through the kitchen counter.
The surface of the kitchen counter exerts a supportive force on the plate (in perpendicular direction) due to which this plate easily rests on the kitchen counter.
So wherever your plate is placed, on the kitchen counter, on the table, on the floor etc. At that time the surface on which the plate is placed, exerts one upward force on the plate (in the perpendicular direction) so that the plate does not pass through the surface.
And this force is known as the normal force. Therefore, when a plate is placed on the kitchen counter, at that time there is a normal force acting on it.
#3 Force that supports a girl standing on the flat surface
Consider that one girl is standing on the flat surface. Do you know, at this time there is a normal force acting on her?
I think this is a real life example of normal force that we all have experienced once.
Here, when a girl is standing on the flat surface, at that time the surface exerts one supportive force on her in the perpendicular direction.
This perpendicular force (i.e., normal force) supports the girl and it stops her from passing through the flat surface. Therefore, when a girl is standing on the flat surface, at that time there is a normal force acting on her.
So now you can ask someone, who is standing on the flat surface, can you tell me what stops you from passing through this flat surface? And that’s how you can explain them this concept of normal force.
#4 Force that supports a television resting on the table
We all have the television in our home, right? Now if your television is placed on the table, then you’ve noticed that… when it is resting on the table, at that time it does not pass through the table.
So, is there any force acting on the television that supports it and does not allow it to pass through the table?
Yes, you have guessed it right. This is nothing but a normal force.
When the television is resting on the table, at that time the surface of the table exerts an upward force on it. This force supports the television and stops it from passing through the table.
And because this force acts in the perpendicular direction, it is known as a normal force.
Therefore, when a television is resting on the table, at that time there is a normal force acting on it.
#5 Force that supports an apple crate placed on the floor
Have you ever gone to a fruit market? If yes, then you have seen in the fruit market, there are so many different fruit crates placed on the floor.
Let’s say you have seen one apple crate in the fruit market. And this apple crate is placed on the floor.
Now while looking at the apple crate, you have to ask one simple question to yourself. This apple crate, which is placed on the floor, why does it not pass through the floor. Is there any force acting on it?
The answer to the above question is Yes. The surface of the floor exerts one supportive force on the apple carte in the upward direction.
This force is known as a normal force. Because of this normal force, the apple crate does not pass through the floor.
Therefore, when the apple crate is placed on floor or when it is resting on floor, at that time there is a normal force acting on it.
#6 Force that supports a mobile phone resting on the desk
Consider one simple situation, let’s say you are using your mobile phone while sitting on the chair and suddenly your mom calls you for some work.
What will you do? You’ll simply put the mobile phone on the desk or table near you and then you’ll go to your mom, right.
Now when you place your mobile phone on the desk, you can see that your mobile phone does not pass through the desk and how nicely your phone rests on the desk.
So the question that I want to ask you is, why does your mobile phone not pass through the desk? What do you think is the reason behind this?
The reason is simple. Surface of the desk exerts one supportive force on your mobile phone in the perpendicular direction. This force is known as a normal force.
Because of this normal force, your mobile phone does not pass through the desk.
Therefore, when you simply put your mobile phone on the desk, at that time there is a normal force acting on it.
#7 Force that supports a candle standing on the surface
Do you like the monsoon season? Well, I like the monsoon season. But no one likes the power cut in the monsoon season right? Especially when there is a power cut during the night time.
What will you do when there is a power cut in your home at night time? At this time, what you’ll first do is… either you’ll switch on the torch or you’ll light up a candle.
Let’s assume that you have lit a candle. When you light up a candle, first you place it on the flat surface, right?
So you’ll see that when a candle is placed on the flat surface, at that time it does not pass through the surface.
This thing indicates that the surface exerts some force on a candle so that it does not pass through it.
This supportive force that the surface exerts on a candle (in the upward direction) is nothing but a normal force. Because of this normal force, a candle easily rests on the surface and does not pass through the surface.
Therefore, when a candle is placed on the flat surface, at that time there is a normal force acting on it. And this normal force always acts in the perpendicular direction.
#8 Force that supports a book placed on the table
You can understand this example more clearly while you sit for study. You sit regularly for study right?
Let’s say… today you sit to study physics. You are sitting on the chair and your physics book is placed on the table.
Now you’ll notice that when your physics book is placed on the table, it does not pass through the table.
Do you know the reason behind this? Why does your physics book not pass through the table?
The reason is simple. Because, the table exerts one supportive force on your physics book in the upward direction.
This supportive force which is acting in the perpendicular direction on your physics book is known as a normal force.
Therefore, when a book is placed on the table, at that time there is a normal force acting on it in the upward direction.
#9 Force that supports a water bottle placed on the floor
Do you know, when a water bottle is placed on the floor or a table, at that time there is a normal force acting on it?
The answer is Yes. That’s why a water bottle does not pass through the table or floor, right?
When a water bottle is placed on the table or floor, at that time the surface (on which a water bottle is placed) exerts one perpendicular force on a water bottle in the upward direction.
This supportive force is nothing but a normal force only. It’s the normal force that stops a water bottle from passing it through the surface on which it is placed.
Therefore, when a water bottle is placed on the table or floor, at that time there is a normal force acting on it in the upward direction. And the direction of this normal force is always perpendicular.
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Related:
- Force Examples
- Balanced Force Examples
- Unbalanced Force Examples
- Applied Force Examples
- Compression Force Examples
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