Question

If forces acting on an object are unbalanced, which factors may result from an unbalanced force? Check all that apply. The net force is negative.  The net force is zero.  The net force is positive.  There is a change in motion.  There is no change in motion. 

Answer 1

Answer: The net force is negative, The net force is positive, There is change in motion.

When an balanced force acts, there is change in motion. In case of balanced forces, the object does not change its motion. The unbalanced force causes change in the momentum of the object. There would be some net force. It would not be zero. The net force is zero when the acting forces are balanced. The net force in case of unbalanced forces have certain magnitude and are positive or negative depending on the direction. The positive and negative sign denotes direction of the net force.

Answer 2

The answers would be:

• The net force is negative
• The net force is positive
• There is a change in motion

The fact that the force acting on an object is unbalanced, this means that an object is moving. This would then cross out the other choices. A net force of zero means an object is not moving or has not changed in motion. This also means that the forces acting on the object is actually balanced.

Net forces can be positive and negative. The signs merely indicate the direction of the forces.