Name ___________________________________ Date ___________________ Period _______
Identifying Forces
Background: Forces have a magnitude AND direction. Forces are usually identified by arrows;
arrows point in the direction of the force and the length of the arrow indicates how strong it is.
In the cases below, each force will be labeled with its magnitude to prevent confusion.
Unbalanced forces cause a change in the object’s motion, causing it to move in the direction of
the stronger force. Balanced forces, on the other hand, cancel each other out and DO NOT
change an object’s motion.
Review:
A force can be identified by _____________________ AND _____________________
How do balanced forces affect an object’s motion?
______________________________________________________________________________
How do unbalanced forces affect an object’s motion?
______________________________________________________________________________
Directions: for each, identify if the forces are balanced or unbalanced and which direction it
will move.
1.
2.
3.
20N
20N
20N
20N
40N
20N
10N
10N
20N
20N
30N
40N
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
4.
5.
6.
50N
20N
25N
50N 25N
100N
________________________
________________________
________________________
20N
25N
60N
25N
________________________
________________________
________________________
10N
20N
________________________
________________________
________________________
Directions: Label each arrow with push, pull, friction, gravity, compression, or tension.
Identify if the force is balanced or unbalanced and which direction it will move.
7.
8.
15N
2N
8N
10N
______________________________________ ______________________________________
______________________________________ ______________________________________
______________________________________ ______________________________________
9.
30N
10.
8N
15N
15N
12N
15N
______________________________________ ______________________________________
______________________________________ ______________________________________
______________________________________ ______________________________________
11.
12.
50N
30N
30N
150N
______________________________________ ______________________________________
______________________________________ ______________________________________
______________________________________ ______________________________________
13. As the skydiver falls, the friction (air resistance) becomes equal to the downward pull of
gravity. When these two forces become equal in magnitude, what will happen to the skydiver?
______________________________________________________________________________
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