Visualize Every Force

Free-body diagrams (FBDs) are your secret weapon in physics problem-solving. They help you identify and represent all the forces acting on an object, making it easier to apply Newton’s laws and solve for unknowns.

• Draw the object as a dot or box.
• Draw arrows for every force (gravity, normal, friction, applied force, etc.), labeling each clearly.
• Check that you’ve included all relevant forces—no more, no less!

With practice, FBDs turn messy problems into clear, solvable puzzles.