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Force and
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Mad Science
Station Labs
Series
2
Mad Science Station Lab – Balanced and
Unbalanced Forces
If you have never used my Mad Science Station Labs before please
download the FREE Start-Up pack from my TPT store. It will provide you
with all of the signage and best practices in order to run the station
labs in your classroom.
The large directions cards included in this file are intended to be read
by the leader of the group once the students get to the station. The
smaller task cards can be read by another group member.
I prefer that each student do their own lab write-up (included at the
end of this file), so that they may use it for reference at a later date.
The answer key is provided at the end of the document.
Lastly, if any of the internet resources no longer work for some reason
please let me know via email at [email protected]. I
cannot guarantee that all resources will be available, but I tried to
choose ones that have been around for many years. I will work
diligently to find replacements for any broken links.
Mad Science Station Lab – Balanced and
Unbalanced Forces - Teacher Directions
Explore It! – I will spend much of my time
at this station making sure that the
students understanding the concept.
The teacher will need a chair with wheels
for this station.
Illustrate It! – You will need to set out map
colors and/or markers at this station.
Read It! – Print several different copies (I
use 6) of the reading passage so that
multiple students can read at different
paces. The Research, Explore, or Watch
it station should be completed first.
Watch It! – The video is hosted on my
Google drive and the URL is casesensitive. The original link is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyJSlcIbd-s
Organize It! – The cards for this activity are
attached near the end of this file. I keep
several sets in Ziploc bags. I simply want
student to be able to determine the
differences between balanced and
unbalanced forces.
Write It! – Students should be encouraged
to do the Research and Explore stations
before attempting this one.
Research It! – The goo.gl link on the task
card is case-sensitive. The original link is
http://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/forces-andmotion-basics/latest/forces-and-motionbasics_en.html
Assess It! – Students should be
encouraged to do the Research and
Explore station before attempting this
one. If I grade anything I usually take a
close look at the answers from this station.
Write It! Station Directions
It is recommended that you have completed
at least two of the following stations before
working at this station.
-Read It!
-Explore It!
-Watch It!
-Research It!
Answer each of the task card questions on
the lab sheet in complete sentences.
Contrast balanced and
unbalanced forces?
Describe how the bowling
pin will react to the
unbalanced force of the
bowling ball.
Why is rolling a ball down
a hill considered an
unbalanced force?
Assess It! Station Directions
It is recommended that you have completed
at least two of the following stations before
working at this station.
-Read It!
-Explore It!
-Watch It!
-Research It!
Each member will answer the questions from
the task cards on the lab sheet in the Assess
It! section.
An object at rest has
equal forces acting on it.
This can be described as
a(n) _____________ force.
A.
B.
C.
D.
gravity
unbalanced
balanced
physical
An object that is
accelerating can be
described as a(n)
_____________ force.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Which is the best
example of an
unbalanced force?
A. A book resting on a shelf
B. A train accelerating from the
station
C. A chair sitting motionless
D. A satellite orbiting Earth at a
constant speed.
A.
B.
C.
D.
gravity
unbalanced
balanced
physical
Which direction will the
barrel travel when the
farmer applies a downward
unbalanced force on the
pulley?
up
down
left
no movement
Read It! Station Directions
Each member of the group will read the
passage and answer the questions from the
task cards on the lab sheet in the Read It!
section.
Balanced and unbalanced forces are all around us.
Keep in mind that an object that is moving at a constant
speed (not accelerating) is also said to be balanced. An
example of this would be a satellite orbiting the Earth.
Now consider a book that was pushed and is now sliding
from left to right across a tabletop. The book is in motion
even after the push stops. As the book moves to the right,
friction acts to the left to slow the book down. This is an
unbalanced force; and as such, the book changes its
state of motion. The book is not at equilibrium and
eventually starts to slow down. Speeding up or slowing
down (accelerating) causes an object to be unbalanced.
Since these two forces are of equal magnitude, and in
opposite directions, they balance each other. The book is
said to be at equilibrium or balanced.
There are two forces acting upon the book. One force,
the Earth's gravitational pull, exerts a downward force. The
other force, the push of the table on the book, pushes
upward on the book.
But what exactly is meant by the phrase unbalanced
force? What is an unbalanced force? To find the answer,
we will first consider a science book at rest on a tabletop.
Newton’s first law says an object at rest stays at rest and
an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed
and in the same direction unless acted upon by an
unbalanced force.
Balanced and
Unbalanced Forces
Which could be an
example of a
balanced force?
A. An asteroid moving at a constant
speed through space
B. A car accelerating from a stop
sign
C. A box of dishes falling from a
counter
D. A rocket taking off
(T/F) A balanced force is
only an object that is not
moving.
Which could be an
example of an
unbalanced force?
A. A plate sitting on a dining room
table
B. A ball at the top of a hill that is not
moving
C. Earth orbiting the Sun
D. A baseball that has been thrown
to home plate.
In paragraph 4 the
term equilibrium
means?
A.
B.
C.
D.
balanced
uneven
not equal
unbalanced
Watch It! Station Directions
Each member of the group will go to the
website listed on task card #1
Complete the task cards in order.
Every student will answer the questions from
the task cards on the lab sheet in the Watch
It! section of the lab sheet.
1. Scan or go to
http://goo.gl/A2lG7B
2. Press PLAY
3. Answer questions on
cards #2-#4
What is one example from the
video of an unbalanced force?
Be specific
What is one example from the
video of a balanced force? Be
specific
Summarize the video in 3-5
sentences?
Research It! Station Directions
Each member of the group will go to the
website listed on task card #1
Complete the task cards in order.
Every student will answer the questions from
the task cards on the lab sheet in the
Research It! section.
1. Scan or go to
http://goo.gl/opOAQo
2. Click on Friction
1.
1.
1.
Change the applied force to
500N. The box will begin
accelerating. This is an
unbalanced force because the
applled force of the man pushing
is greater than the force of friction.
2.
2.
Turn on all the checkboxes in the
upper right hand corner.
The box sitting still is considered a
balanced force. All forces (gravity
and the force of the ground
pushing up) are equal.
Play around for no more than 5
minutes and experiment with
different objects and scenarios.
Answer the questions on your
answer sheet.
Explore It! Station Directions
One member of the group will read the task
cards in order. The group will be responsible
for completing each of the tasks that are
being read.
Each member of the group will then write
their conclusions down on the lab sheet in
the Explore It! section.
1. Have 1 person sit in the chair
without moving.
2. Fill out the data table on your
answer document.
1. Have 1 person sit in the chair
2. 2 other people will push with an
unequal amount of force, in opposite
directions, on the chair.
3. Fill out the data table on your
answer document.
1. Have 1 person sit in the chair
2. 2 other people will push with an
equal amount of force, in opposite
directions, on the chair.
3. Fill out the data table on your
answer document.
Illustrate It! Station Directions
Each member of the group will draw a quick
sketch on the lab sheet the shows they
understand the concept that is being taught.
Use the map colors and markers that are
provided.
The directions for the sketch are provided on
the task card at the table.
Illustrate It! Station Directions
Draw a picture on your lab sheet that
demonstrates your knowledge of Balanced &
Unbalanced Forces.
Include the following:
1. an object that is a balanced
2. an object that is unbalanced
Organize It! Station Directions
It is recommended that you have completed at least two
of the following stations before working at this station.
-Read It!
-Explore It!
-Watch It!
-Research It!
Every student will answer the questions from the task cards
on the lab sheet in the Organize It! Section.
Please mix up the cards again before the next group
arrives at this station.
1. Take the cards
out of the bag
and place them on
the table.
2. Put each of the cards into
either the balanced or
unbalanced category
1. On your answer
document list 2 examples of
each.
A parachuter falling to
the ground
Balanced
Force
A skier coming down
a mountain
A soccer ball after it
was kicked
A car accelerating
from the start line
A train moving at a
constant speed
Unbalanced
Forces
An apple hanging on
a tree
A lamp sitting on a
desk
The moon orbiting the Earth
at a constant speed
Describe what happened
Balanced or
unbalanced?
Task Card #1:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Task Card #2:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Task Card #3:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Write It!
Push with
unequal force
No
Movement
Push with
equal force
Event
Explore It!
Balanced & Unbalanced Name_______________________
Forces
#2_____
#4_____
Task Card #2:
Organize It!
Task Card #4:
Describe the difference
between a balanced force
and an unbalanced force.
Research It!
#1_____
#3_____
Assess It!
Illustrate It!
#1_____
#3_____
Read It!
#2_____
#4_____
Balanced & Unbalanced Name_______________________
Forces
Task Card #2:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Task Card #3:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Task Card #4:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Watch It!
Balanced & Unbalanced Name_______________________
Forces
Balanced or
Describe what happened unbalanced?
No
Balanced
Movement
No
Balanced
Movement
Moved the direction of unbalanced
the greater force
Task Card #1:
____Balanced forces are objects that are generally not
moving because the forces being applied to them are
equal. A balanced force could also be an object moving
at a constant velocity.
Unbalanced forces are moving because one of the forces
being applied to the object is greater than the other force.
__________________________________________
Task Card #2:
A ball rolling downhill is considered an unbalanced force
because the object is either accelerating or decellerating.
The force of gravity is greater than the force required to
keep the ball at rest
Task Card #3:
____The bowling pin will move to the southeast or lower
right because an unbalanced force (the ball) is acted upon
it
Write It!
Push with
unequal force
No
Movement
Push with
equal force
Event
Explore It!
Balanced & Unbalanced Forces Answer Key
#2__B___
#4__A___
Task Card #2:
Unbalanced: parachuter, skiier,
soccer ball, car accelerating
Organize It!
Task Card #4:
Describe the difference
between a balanced force
and an unbalanced force.
Research It!
#1__C___
#3___B__
Assess It!
#2__F___
#4__A___
Balanced: train, apple, lamp,
moon
A balanced force is when all forces
on an object are equal. An
unbalanced force is when one
forces is greater than the others
and cause motion.
#1__A___
#3 __D___
Read It!
Student drawings will vary, but ensure that one
object is balanced and the other is
unbalanced.
Illustrate It!
Balanced & Unbalanced Forces Answer Key
Task Card #2:
____The horse standing still is a balanced force. The
horse running at a constant speed is also balanced__
Task Card #3:
__When the horse accelerates (faster or slower) this is an
unbalanced force
Task Card #4:
____An object at rest or moving at a constant speed is a
balanced force. When an object has one force that is
greater than the other acting on it, it is an unbalanced
force.
Watch It!
Balanced & Unbalanced Forces Answer Key