Question

An object is moving at a constant speed toward the west. What will happen when it is acted on at the same time by two equal and opposite forces, one toward the west and the other toward the east?

Answer 1

The object will continue to move at a constant speed toward the west since the two equal and opposite forces cancel each other out, resulting in a net force of zero.

Step-by-step explanation:

When an object moving at a constant speed toward the west is acted upon simultaneously by two equal and opposite forces—one toward the west and the other toward the east—the object will experience no change in motion. This is because the forces are balanced, resulting in a net force of zero. By Newton's First Law of Motion, an object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion continues in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. Since the object is moving at constant speed and the forces are balanced, it continues to move uniformly toward the west without acceleration.