Balanced and Unbalanced Forces

​Balanced and Unbalanced Forces

​The student will be able to:

1. Determine the if the object is balanced or unbalanced​

2. Calculate the ​the net force using magnitude and direction.

​1. Forces occur in pairs and they can be either balanced or unbalanced.

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​Force =

Push or a Pull

Open Ended

When an apple falls from a tree, forces must be acting on it. escribe how the forces act on the apple to make it fall.

2. Balanced forces do not cause change in motion.

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a. This includes if the object is:

i. Not moving

ii. Or moving at a constant speed.

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b. They are equal in size and opposite in direction.

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​Examples of balanced forces in motion and at rest

​Balanced Forces

Open Ended

Suppose you were pushing on a heavy bucket of stones with 100 N of force and it did not move. How many newtons of force would be balancing the force you were applying?

​Examples of unbalanced forces

​Unbalanced Forces

​3. An unbalanced force always causes a change in motion.

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a. When unbalanced forces act in the same or opposite directions you can find the net force. 

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i. Net force is the overall force acting on an object.

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ii. It is a combination of the magnitude and the direction.​

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iii. ​Magnitude is the difference or the sum between the two forces.

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iv. Direction goes with the stronger force​

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Open Ended

A strong adult pulls a desk to the right. At the same time, a small child pulls the desk to the left. What direction will the desk move? Why do you think it will move in that direction?

Multiple Choice

The list describes six different situations.

1. A pendulum moving back and forth

2. A toy car rolling down a ramp

3. An airplane traveling at a constant velocity of 500 km/h north

4. A raindrop falling on a leaf

5. A marble sitting on a table

6. A hockey puck sliding across the ice at constant velocity

Which objects in the list are experiencing balanced forces?

• The pendulum, the toy car, and the hockey puck

• The airplane, the marble, and the hockey puck

• The toy car, the raindrop, and the marble

• The pendulum, the toy car, and the raindrop

Multiple Choice

Which of the following could occur when the net force acting on a car is zero?

• The car changes speed from 0 m/s to 20 m/s

• The car slows down while turning a corner

• The car travels at a constant speed of 20 m/s

• The car changes speed from 20 m/s to 0 m/s

Open Ended

Type the magnitude and in what direction.

Open Ended

Type the magnitude and in what direction.

Open Ended

Type the magnitude and in what direction.

Open Ended

Type the magnitude and in what direction.

Open Ended

Type the magnitude and in what direction.