Final answer:
Forces are represented on graph paper by using vectors, which encapsulate both the magnitude and direction of the force. In physics, free-body diagrams commonly use vectors to illustrate the forces acting on an object, aiding in the analysis and visualization of these forces.
Step-by-step explanation:
Forces can be indicated on graph paper by the use of vectors. This is because forces are described by vectors which are mathematical entities that have both a magnitude and a direction. In physics, vectors are often denoted with symbols that have an arrow pointing to the right above them. When representing forces on a graph or in diagrams, vectors are used to illustrate the magnitude of the force by the length of the vector and the direction of the force by the arrow's direction.
Free-body diagrams are a common tool in physics to represent the forces acting on an object, where the object is represented as a point and the forces as vectors. For example, if you are solving problems involving displacement, force, or velocity, you can represent these quantities as vectors on a graph, and the actual computation of the resultant force involves vector addition where the vectors are drawn tip-to-tail, and the resultant vector is then measured using a ruler or a protractor.