Question

what is the result of unbalanced forces? not all forces in opposite directions balance each other. think about two students pushing on the opposite sides of a box. what happens if one student pushes harder than the other as in the picture? the forces are not balanced, and the box will move in the direction of the larger force. the student who is pushing harder will move the box in the direction of the force. the net force that moves the box is the difference between the two forces. suppose both students push on the same side of the box as in the second figure. the students are both exerting force in the same direction. again the forces are unbalanced. the forces combine, or add together, because they are exerted in the same direction. again, net force is equal to both forces added together. 2. why are the forces in the figure said to be balanced? a. when the 2 students pushes on the opposite sides of the box, the student on the left pushes harder. this cancels out the force and the box move to the right. b. when the 2 students push with the same amount of force but in opposite directions, the force cancels out. the box does not move. c. when the 2 students pushes on the opposite sides of the box, the student on the right pushes with more force. this causes the box to move to the left. but the force is not cancelled out. d. both student pushes with little force causing the box to have a net force of zero.

Explanation:

Balanced forces occur when two forces acting on an object are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, resulting in a net - force of zero and no motion of the object. Option b describes this situation where two students push with the same amount of force but in opposite directions, cancelling out the forces and the box not moving.

Answer:

b. When the 2 students push with the same amount of force but in opposite directions, the force cancels out. The box does not move.