What is effort force?

Effort force is the force that moves an object over a distance by overcoming a resistance force. The formula for force is force = mass x acceleration or F = MA and is measured in newtons.

An example of effort force is lifting the handles of a wheelbarrow filled with dirt. The hand acts as the effort force (lifting force), while gravity acts as the resistance force that must be overcome to lift the wheelbarrow. To get the wheelbarrow moving, the hand is still the effort force. However, the hand now acts as both a lifting and pushing force, while gravity acts as the opposing force.