Question

1. A bucket of water tied to a rope is being pulled up from a well as shown in the figure below (fig 1). Name the two forces acting on the bucket in the upward and downward directions. Also mention whether these forces are contact or non-contact forces by nature

Answer 1

The two forces acting on the bucket are gravitational force(downward) and tension(upward).

• Gravitational force acts on all objects/bodies i.e. there is a force of attraction between the earth and the object. This force is non-contact by nature and acts in the downward direction.
• Tension force arises due to the rope being pulled. A rope has a special ability to resist tension but not compression. This resistance to tension is what allows the usage of ropes. This force is contact force and the direction is upwards along the rope.