Balanced and Unbalanced Forces

Front

Force Noun

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[forss]

Back

Force

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A push or pull on an object that causes a change in its motion, possessing both magnitude and direction.

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Example: An unbalanced force, like gravity on a ramp, causes an object to change its motion and accelerate down the slope.

Front

Inertia Noun

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[in-ur-shuh]

Back

Inertia

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The property of an object to resist any change in its state of motion, whether at rest or moving.

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Example: An object at rest, the soccer ball, stays at rest due to inertia until an unbalanced force from a kick causes it to change its motion.

Front

Newton Noun

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[noo-tn]

Back

Newton

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The standard international unit of force, abbreviated as 'N', required to accelerate a one-kilogram mass at one meter per second squared.

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Example: This image breaks down Newton's Second Law, F=ma, showing that Force (measured in Newtons) is a product of an object's mass and its acceleration.

Front

Balanced Forces Noun

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[bal-uhnsd for-sez]

Back

Balanced Forces

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Equal forces acting on an object in opposite directions, resulting in a net force of zero and no change in motion.

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Example: Two people pull a rope with equal force in opposite directions, so the rope does not move, demonstrating balanced forces.

Front

Unbalanced Forces Noun

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[un-bal-uhnsd for-sez]

Back

Unbalanced Forces

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Unequal forces acting on an object that cause a change in the object's motion, such as its speed or direction.

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Example: A person applies a force (push) to a box. The arrow shows a net force in one direction, causing the box to move, which demonstrates an unbalanced force.

Front

Net Force Noun

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[net forss]

Back

Net Force

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The vector sum of all forces acting on an object, which determines the object's resulting acceleration.

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Example: This image shows that when multiple forces pull an object in the same direction, they combine to create a larger total, or 'net,' force.

Front

Motion Noun

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[moh-shuhn]

Back

Motion

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The phenomenon in which an object changes its position with respect to a reference point over a period of time.

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Example: A ball is shown in continuous motion, rolling down a track due to the unbalanced force of gravity and then being lifted to repeat the cycle.

Front

Acceleration Noun

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[ak-sel-uh-rey-shuhn]

Back

Acceleration

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The rate of change of an object's velocity with respect to time, resulting from the application of unbalanced forces.

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Example: When the hand releases the ball, the unbalanced force of gravity causes it to accelerate, changing its velocity from zero to a downward motion.

Front

Gravity Noun

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[grav-i-tee]

Back

Gravity

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A natural force of attraction between any two objects with mass, which pulls objects toward a planet's center.

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Example: Gravity is an unbalanced force that pulls the apple down from the tree, causing it to accelerate towards the ground.

Front

Friction Noun

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[frik-shuhn]

Back

Friction

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A force that opposes the relative motion or tendency of such motion between two surfaces that are in contact.

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Example: This diagram shows friction as a force that opposes the motion of a box being pushed, caused by the microscopic roughness between the two surfaces.