Final answer:
When two equal and opposite forces are exerted on an object, they cancel each other out, resulting in a net horizontal force of zero. The net force would be zero, indicating no net movement in either direction.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the same two forces are exerted on an object in opposite directions, the net horizontal force on the object is determined by subtracting one force from the other, provided the forces have the same magnitude but opposite directions. This is analogous to the scenario of pulling on a box with a friend from opposite sides.
If the two forces have equal magnitudes but are directed oppositely, they will cancel each other out, resulting in a net force of zero.
For example, if Force F1 is applied to the canoe in one direction and an equal Force F2 is applied in the opposite direction, the equation representing this scenario would be Fnet = F1 - F2. Since F1 and F2 are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction, Fnet would be zero, indicating no net movement of the canoe in either direction.
To connect this to the provided information about net vertical forces being zero due to the car not leaving the surface of the road, we can see a similar parallel where forces in opposite directions cancel each other out. Whether dealing with vertical forces or horizontal forces, the outcome is the same when the forces are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction.