What happens to the motion of an object when forces are balanced?

Study for the IGCSE Physics Exam. Engage with flashcards and multiple-choice questions, complete with hints and explanations, and prepare thoroughly for your assessment.

When forces acting on an object are balanced, it means that the net force is zero. This occurs when all the forces acting upon the object are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction, effectively cancelling each other out. As a result, there is no unbalanced force to cause a change in the object's motion.

If the object is initially at rest, it will remain stationary. If it is already moving, it will continue to move in the same direction at a constant velocity. This principle aligns with Newton's first law of motion, which states that an object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion continues in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced external force.

In contrast, when forces are unbalanced, the object would either accelerate or change direction, which does not occur in balanced forces. Thus, the motion remains uniform when forces are balanced, leading to the conclusion that the object will either stay at rest or move at a constant velocity.

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