Two people push a box from opposite directions; the bod does not move. Which statement best explains this result?
1. The forces have different magnitude
2. The box pushes back on the people
3. Push forces do not cause motion
4. Balanced forces do not cause motion
4. Balanced forces do not cause motion
The best statement that explains the result of two people pushing a box from opposite directions and the box not moving is:
4. Balanced forces do not cause motion
The correct answer is 4. Balanced forces do not cause motion.
Explanation:
When two people push a box from opposite directions and the box does not move, it means that the forces applied by the people are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. This is known as a balanced force situation. In a balanced force situation, the total force acting on an object is zero, resulting in no net force to cause motion. The forces exerted by the two people cancel each other out, preventing any change in the box's state of rest.
Option 1, "The forces have different magnitudes," is incorrect because if the forces had different magnitudes, there would be a net force acting on the box, causing it to move in the direction of the greater force.
Option 2, "The box pushes back on the people," is not the explanation for why the box does not move. While it is true that every action has an equal and opposite reaction according to Newton's third law, the reaction force exerted by the box does not determine whether or not it moves. In this scenario, the forces applied by the people are what determine the motion of the box.
Option 3, "Push forces do not cause motion," is also incorrect. Push forces can indeed cause motion if there is an unbalanced force acting on an object. However, in this specific case, the key factor is that the forces from both sides cancel each other out, resulting in no net force.