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Balanced vs Unbalanced Forces

Author: Michele Langhans

Forces: Balanced, Unbalanced, Friction

Here is the video for your notes. Be sure to pause, rewind, and stop as necessary.

Source: Langhans and various other educators

Summarizing Questions for Balanced and Unbalanced Forces: have the answers under your notes

1. What is a balanced force?

2.  What is an unbalanced force?

3.  Draw a picture below that shows an example of a balanced force (examples:  a bird 's nest in a tree, a hat on a person's  head, or a light hanging from a ceiling).  Show the forces acting on the object.  In a separate picture show what would happen to the object if the forces became unbalanced.

4. A driver and a passenger get out of their car that has run out of gas on a city street.  They cannot agree on which gas station is closer, so they begin pushing with equal force on opposite ends of the car.

(a) Make a sketch of this car-pushing situation using arrows to represent the forces on the car.

(b) Use your sketch to explain whether the forces on the car are balanced or unbalanced.

(c)  Re-draw the sketch with force arrows illustrating a more effective way for the driver and passenger to get the car to the gas station.

(d) Does this new sketch illustrate balanced or unbalanced forces?  Explain.

5. An alphabetical group of friends are planning a tug of war. If Annabel can pull with 27N, Bonnie can pull with

30N, Caleb can pull with 33N, Daria can pull with 29N, Edwin can pull with 35N, Frank can pull with 20N,Garrett can pull with 30N, and Heidi can pull with 36N.

a.   Draw the forces acting on the rope (yes draw the rope as a box so you can attach all the forces to it) if it is a matchup  between boys and girls.

b.   Who would win if it was girls vs. boys? By how much would they win?

c.   If you could switch one person to change the outcome who would it be and why?

d.   Is there a configuration of people that would result in a tie? How would you find one?

6. . In the picture below, explain why the bear fell.  Use FRICTION to explain your answer.

 

7.How does surface roughness affect friction?

8.  Discuss the relationship between the size and weight of an object and the amount of friction that is present

9.  Analyze how friction can be both a positive and negative aspect in our everyday lives. Use examples to support your statements.

10.  Sports such as soccer involve running, stopping, jumping, and kicking. Discuss how friction helps players.

Source: Langhans and various educators

Question about your Notes: write your question following the guidelines below:

Question- asking Higher Order Thinking (HOT) questions; use the following as your guide:
1. A question that you are still confused about (be specific, include which part of the video, etc)
2. A question that connects the videos together (i.e. asking about the relationship between the content)
3. A question you think you know the answer to, but you want to challenge your classmates with
Use your Unit Plan to help with question starters

Source: inspired by C. Kirch