Question

unbalanced forces & friction investigation
part 1: balanced vs. unbalanced instructions: determine if the scenarios below describe balanced or unbalanced forces.

1. a soccer ball sitting motionless on the grass.

• circle one: balanced / unbalanced
• why? (hint: is there a change in motion?)

1. a soccer ball right after it has been kicked and is flying through the air.

• circle one: balanced / unbalanced
• why?

1. in a tug of war match, the rope does not move even though both teams are pulling hard.

• circle one: balanced / unbalanced
• explain: /

Explanation:

1. For the motionless soccer ball: Balanced forces result in no change in motion; the ball stays still, so forces are balanced.
2. For the flying kicked soccer ball: The ball's speed and direction change due to gravity and air resistance, so forces are unbalanced.
3. For the stationary tug-of-war rope: Equal, opposite pulling forces cancel out, so no motion occurs, meaning forces are balanced.

Answer:

1. Balanced

• Why? No change in motion occurs.

1. Unbalanced

• Why? The ball's motion (speed/direction) changes.

1. Balanced

• Explain: Equal opposing forces cancel, no motion.