Resultant of Balanced and Unbalanced Forces
When two or more forces act on an object, they can either be balanced or unbalanced. The resultant force is the net force that results from the combination of all the forces acting on an object. In this article, we will discuss what happens when balanced and unbalanced forces act on an object.
What is a Balanced Force?
A balanced force is a force that has an equal and opposite force acting on it. When two forces are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, they cancel each other out, and the net force on the object is zero. In other words, the object will remain stationary or continue to move at a constant velocity. Here are some examples of balanced forces:
- A book resting on a table
- A person standing still on the ground
- A car moving at a constant speed
What is an Unbalanced Force?
An unbalanced force is a force that has a net force acting on it. When two or more forces act on an object, and the net force is not zero, the object will accelerate in the direction of the net force. Here are some examples of unbalanced forces:
- A ball thrown in the air
- A person pushing a car
- A book sliding on a table
What Happens When Balanced and Unbalanced Forces Act on an Object?
When balanced forces act on an object, the object will remain stationary or continue to move at a constant velocity. There is no acceleration because the net force is zero.
When unbalanced forces act on an object, the object will accelerate in the direction of the net force. The acceleration is directly proportional to the net force and inversely proportional to the object's mass. This is known as Newton's second law of motion, which states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass.
In conclusion, the resultant force is the net force that results from the combination of all the forces acting on an object. When balanced forces act on an object, the object will remain stationary or continue to move at a constant velocity. When unbalanced forces act on an object, the object will accelerate in the direction of the net force.