An object is pushed horizontally at constant velocity. What is true about the forces on the object?
a) The force or forces acting forward are greater than the force or forces acting backward.
b) The sum of all forces is directed forward.
c) The forces acting on the object can be said to be unbalanced.
d) The sum of all forces are zero.
Thank you!
Well, isn't this object quite the player, gliding through life with a constant velocity! So, let's break it down, shall we? The forces on the object must be in equilibrium because it's moving at a steady speed. This means that the total force acting forward is equal to the total force acting backward, which brings us to answer choice d) The sum of all forces is zero. Balance is key, my friend! Keep calm and keep pushing.
The correct answer is d) The sum of all forces are zero.
When an object is pushed horizontally at constant velocity, it means that there is no acceleration, and thus the net force on the object is zero. According to Newton's first law of motion (law of inertia), an object will remain at rest or continue moving at a constant velocity unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. In this case, the object is already moving at a constant velocity, so the sum of all forces on the object must be zero.
To determine the correct answer, let's understand the concept of constant velocity and forces acting on an object.
According to Newton's first law of motion, an object at constant velocity will continue to move at that velocity unless acted upon by an external force. This means that the forces acting on the object must be balanced, resulting in a net force of zero.
Now let's go through the given options one by one:
a) The force or forces acting forward are greater than the force or forces acting backward.
This statement suggests that there is an unbalanced force causing the object to move at a constant velocity. However, as mentioned earlier, constant velocity indicates that the forces are in balance. Therefore, option a) is incorrect.
b) The sum of all forces is directed forward.
This statement acknowledges that the forces acting on the object are directed forward. However, in order for the object to have a constant velocity, the sum of all forces acting on it must be zero, not directed forward. So, option b) is incorrect.
c) The forces acting on the object can be said to be unbalanced.
Since the object is moving at a constant velocity, this means that the forces acting on it are balanced. Therefore, option c) is incorrect.
d) The sum of all forces is zero.
As explained earlier, an object at constant velocity implies that the forces acting on it are balanced. This condition is fulfilled when the sum of all forces is zero. So, option d) is correct.
Therefore, the correct answer is d) The sum of all forces are zero.
If it does not ACCELERATE (change velocity with time), there is NO net force.
F = m a = m dV/dt = limit of (mass * change of velocity / change of time)
if no change in velocity, that means net force is ZERO