Balanced and Unbalanced Forces 2025

Identify each scenario as a balanced force or an unbalanced force.

Groups:

(a) Balanced Force

,

(b) Unbalanced Force

• a skier skiing through flags in a race down the mountain

• a runner jumping over a hurdle

• two ice skaters moving in a straight line at a constant speed

• a car accelerating around a mountain curve

• a lamp sitting on a table

• a book sitting on a shelf

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

James is pushing a box across the floor, and there are also other forces like friction and gravity acting on it. The overall forces acting on the box is called ___ _____.

• net force

• balanced force

• total force

• unbalanced force

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

Jackson drops his pencil, and it falls to the ground. What pull(s) objects toward Earth's center?

• Force

• Gravity

• Newtons

• Net Force

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

When Benjamin is pushing a box and the forces on the box are balanced, the box __________________.

• moves to the right

• stays still

• moves to the left

• can move in any direction

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

Mia is riding her bicycle, and an unbalanced force acts on her. Which of the following is NOT a change in her motion caused by the unbalanced force?

• position

• time

• direction

• speed

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

Olivia is using a spring scale to measure how hard she is pulling on a box. Which unit are forces measured in?

• Newtons

• inches

• power

• hours

Your teacher sets up an experiment in class: A box is placed on a table. Fernando pushes the box from the left with a force of 10N, while another student pushes from the right with a force of 15N. The class is asked to discuss which direction the box will move.

Three of your classmates disagree about the direction the box will move. They made these statements:

Fernando: The box will move to the left.
Giselle: The box will stay still.
Clarence: The box will move to the right.

Which student is correct? And why?

• Fernando, because the force on the right is greater than the force on the left, causing the object to

  move to the left.

• Fernando, because the force on the left is greater than the force on the right, causing the object to

  move to the right.

• Giselle, because the force on the right is greater than the force on the left, causing the object to

  move to the left.

• Giselle, because the force on the left is greater than the force on the right, causing the object to

  move to the right.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-1

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

What happens to the speed of a soccer ball as an unbalanced force acts on it? Give an

example.

Rubric for Your Answer (2 points total)

1. Unbalanced Force (0.5 points)

   • ✅ I explained that an unbalanced force changes the _____ of the soccer ball.

2. Speed Change (0.5 points)

   • ✅ I explained that the ball’s speed can increase or decrease depending on the _________ of the force.

3. Example (0.5 points)

   • ✅ I gave a clear example of something happening with a soccer ball.

4. Clarity (0.5 points)

   • ✅ My answer is clear, easy to understand, and written at a 6th-grade level.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

What happens to the position of a soccer ball as an unbalanced force acts on it? Give an

example.

Rubric for Your Answer (2 points total)

1. Unbalanced Force (0.5 points)

   • ✅ I said that an unbalanced force changes the ________ of the soccer ball.

2. Effect of the Force (0.5 points)

   • ✅ I explained that the ball will move in the _________ of the force.

3. Example (0.5 points)

   • ✅ I gave a clear example.

4. Clarity (0.5 points)

   • ✅ My answer is clear, easy to understand, and written at a 6th-grade level.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

What happens to the direction of a soccer ball as an unbalanced force acts on it? Give an

example.

Rubric for Your Answer (2 points total)

1. Unbalanced Force (0.5 points)

   • ✅ I explained that an unbalanced force changes the _________ of the soccer ball.

2. Example (0.5 points)

   • ✅ I gave a clear example.

3. Clarity and Relevance (0.5 points)

   • ✅ My answer is clear, to the point, and answers the question directly.

4. Scientific Accuracy (0.5 points)

   • ✅ My explanation is scientifically correct and written at a 6th-grade level.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2