Question

Are the forces below balanced or unbalanced? If unbalanced, which direction is the net force?

3 N
Friction - 5 N
Applied - 3 N
a) Balanced
b) Unbalanced
c) Up
d) Down
e) Left
f) Right

Answer 1

The forces are unbalanced with a net force of -1 N in the opposite direction of the applied force.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine whether the forces are balanced or unbalanced, we add up the forces provided. There is a frictional force of 3 N acting, presumably, in the opposite direction of motion, a 5 N applied force in the direction of the motion, and another 3 N in the same direction as the friction. To find the net force, we can subtract the frictional force from the total of the applied forces: 5 N + (-3 N) + (-3 N) = -1 N. Since we have a non-zero result, the forces are unbalanced. Additionally, the negative sign indicates the net force is in the direction of the frictional forces, which we can assume to be opposite to that of the applied force. Therefore, the net force is in the opposite direction of the 5 N applied force.