Question

Calculate
What is the net force on the box if it's 15N going to the left and 10N going to the right? HOw will the unbalanced forces change the direction of the box

Answer 1

Imagine 15 people pushing a box in one direction and 10 people on the other side pushing against them.

If you had 1 person each side pushing against each other would it move?

What do you think the answer is?

Answer 2

Since there is 15N going to the left, and 10n going to the right, there is 5N going to the left. The equation for this is:

N(L) - N(R) = N left over

L = left
R = right

It can also be this:

N(R) - N(L) = N left over

The higher net force will mostly be the first term.

The unbalanced forces will change the direction because if there is more force going in one direction, it will go to the direction that has a higher amount of net force than than the other direction(s).

I hope all of this will help! :)

Answer 3

I thought to calculate net force was adding :o

Answer 4

Well, you can, but that is for the TOTAL NET FORCE. That would be addition, this problem does not deal with addition.

Answer 5

It's adding if the forces are in the same direction.

If you had 30 people on one side of the box and then 20 more joined them. You would have 50 people pushing in one direction.

If you had 30 people on one side of the box and 20 on the opposite side then you would be the same as if only 10 people were on the first side and no one on the other side.

Answer 6

Oh, Thank you Brady And GanonTEK!

Answer 7

You're welcome Coleson! :)

Answer 8

You're welcome!