Assume all other forces on Ken are balanced. Which statement describes the forces on Ken?
The forces are unbalanced, so there is a net force on Ken. The forces are balanced, so there is no net force on Ken.
Ken is standing on a diving board at the pool. Earth's gravity is pulling down on Ken with a force of 400N. The diving board is pushing up on Ken with a force of 400N.
A force is a push or a pull that acts on an object. Every force has a direction and a magnitude, or strength. If two forces act on an object in opposite directions, the forces are called opposing forces.
When opposing forces have the same magnitude, they are balanced. If all the forces on an object are balanced, there is no net force on the object.
When opposing forces have different magnitudes, the forces are unbalanced. If any forces on an object are unbalanced, there is a net force on the object.
To determine if there is a net force on Ken, look at the forces:
Earth's gravity is pulling Ken down with a force of 400 N.
The diving board is pushing Ken up with a force of 400 N.
The forces are in opposite directions, and the forces have the same magnitude: 400 N. This means that the forces are balanced, so there is no net force on Ken.