Assume all other forces on the cactus are balanced. Which statement describes the forces on the cactus?
The forces are unbalanced, so there is a net force on the cactus. The forces are balanced, so there is no net force on the cactus.
Ariana is picking up her potted cactus as she cleans her room. She is pulling the cactus up with a force of 20N. Earth's gravity is pulling the cactus down with a force of 15N.
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 the cactus, look at the forces:
Ariana is pulling the cactus up with a force of 20 N.
Earth's gravity is pulling the cactus down with a force of 15 N.
The forces are in opposite directions, and the forces have different magnitudes: 20 N and 15 N. This means that the forces are unbalanced, so there is a net force on the cactus.