Questions: Balanced and Unbalanced Forces

Question 1

Two kids push on opposite sides of a box with the same strength. What happens?

• A. The box moves to the left
• B. The box moves to the right
• C. The box does not move
• D. The box moves up

Answer: (C)

When equal forces push in opposite directions, they are balanced and cancel each other out, so the box stays still.

Question 2

A book sitting on a table has no forces acting on it.

• T. True
• F. False

Answer: False

The book has two balanced forces: gravity pulling it down and the table pushing it up. They cancel out, so the book stays still.

Question 3

What type of forces cause an object to change its motion?

Model answer: Unbalanced forces cause an object to change its motion.

When forces on an object are unbalanced, there is a net force that makes the object speed up, slow down, or change direction.