Final answer:
The forces exerted by the players are no longer balanced by the force of tension in the rope; the teams will accelerate in opposite directions as a result.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct statement about the forces involved when the rope suddenly snaps in a tug-of-war game is option b. The forces exerted by the players are no longer balanced by the force of tension in the rope; the teams will accelerate in opposite directions as a result.
When the rope snaps, the forces exerted by the players on both teams are no longer balanced by the force of tension in the rope. This imbalance causes the teams to accelerate in opposite directions. One team will move forward while the other team moves backward.
This scenario demonstrates Newton's third law of motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The force exerted by one team on the other is equal in magnitude but opposite in direction.