A book is resting on a table in a state of equilibrium. Which statement is true about the forces acting on the book? (1 point)
Responses
The book experiences balanced forces because the force of gravity pushing down on the book is greater.
The book experiences balanced forces because the force of gravity pushing down on the book is greater.
The force of gravity pulling down the book and the force of the table pushing up on the book are equal.
The force of gravity pulling down the book and the force of the table pushing up on the book are equal.
The book experiences unbalanced forces because the force of gravity pulling down on the book and the force of the table pushing up are equal.
The book experiences unbalanced forces because the force of gravity pulling down on the book and the force of the table pushing up are equal.
The book experiences unbalanced forces from friction, gravity and the table.
The force of gravity pulling down the book and the force of the table pushing up on the book are equal.
The correct statement is:
The force of gravity pulling down the book and the force of the table pushing up on the book are equal.
To determine the correct statement about the forces acting on the book, we need to understand the concept of equilibrium. In a state of equilibrium, the net force on an object is zero, and the object is either at rest or moving at a constant velocity.
To begin, let's analyze the forces acting on the book. The two main forces at play are gravity and the force exerted by the table.
1. The force of gravity is pulling the book downward. This force is directly proportional to the mass of the book and can be calculated using the formula F = mg, where m represents mass and g represents the acceleration due to gravity.
2. The force exerted by the table on the book is pushing upward. This force is known as the normal force and arises from the interaction between the book and the table. In a state of equilibrium, the normal force opposes the force of gravity and has the same magnitude but opposite direction.
Based on this information, we can evaluate the given statements:
Statement 1: "The book experiences balanced forces because the force of gravity pushing down on the book is greater."
This statement is incorrect. In a state of equilibrium, the forces must be balanced, which means that the normal force exerted by the table must be equal in magnitude, but opposite in direction, to the force of gravity pulling the book downward.
Statement 2: "The force of gravity pulling down the book and the force of the table pushing up on the book are equal."
This statement is correct. In a state of equilibrium, the force of gravity and the normal force must be equal in magnitude but opposite in direction. This ensures that the net force on the book is zero.
Statement 3: "The book experiences unbalanced forces because the force of gravity pulling down on the book and the force of the table pushing up are equal."
This statement is incorrect. If the forces are equal and opposite, they cancel each other out, resulting in a net force of zero, which corresponds to a state of equilibrium.
Statement 4: "The book experiences unbalanced forces from friction, gravity, and the table."
This statement is incorrect. Friction is not mentioned in the question, and in the absence of any external forces, such as friction, the only significant forces acting on the book are gravity and the normal force.
Therefore, the correct statement is statement 2: "The force of gravity pulling down the book and the force of the table pushing up on the book are equal."