Question

For the following free body diagrams identify if the forces are balanced or unbalanced. Then determine the net force if it is not zero and the direction of motion.

Answer 1

In all cases, except case 1 the forces are unbalanced, and therefore, the net force is different from 0.

How forces act?

In physics, forces are balanced if opposite forces have the same magnitude, for example:

• If two people are pulling a rope with a 5N force the forces are balanced and the rope will not move.

Based on this, from the diagrams presented only diagram 1 has balanced forces because this is the only case in which opposite forces have the same magnitude.

Let's calculate the net force in each case or the total sum of forces.

To do this, consider that forces pointing upwards and to the right are positive.

Case 1

• Net force: 10 N + 10 N - 10 N - 10 N = 0 N

Case 2

• Net force: 10N + 15 N - 10 N - 10 N  = 5 N

• The direction of this object is to the right because the strongest force goes in that direction.

Case 3

• Net force: 17 N + 17 N - 10 N - 12 N = 12 N
• The direction of this object is to the right and upwards because these are the two strongest forces.

Case 4

• Net force: 17N + 10 N - 10N - 12 N = 5 N
• This object will move upwards because this is the strongest force.

Learn more about force in: brainly.com/question/4456579