II. Net Force Table:

Question

Directions for Set-Up
Before Pressing Go, which way do you think the cart will move? (None, Right, Left)
Why does the cart move that way?
What is the sum & direction of the forces?
(example: 70 Left)
Place 1 small blue guy on the very end of the left rope & 1 small red guy on the very end of the right rope
1 Small Blue Guy & 1 Small Red Guy**: 1 Right
Medium Blue Guy & 1 Small Red Guy**: More force Left (e.g., 2 Left)
Big Blue Guy & 4 Small Red Guys**: 3 Right
Place the medium blue guy on the very end of the left rope & 1 small red guy on the very end of the right rope

Place the big blue guy on the very end of the left rope & add all 4 of the red guys to the right rope

Answer 1

Let's break down the scenarios you've presented in terms of net forces and their directions:

1. 1 Small Blue Guy & 1 Small Red Guy:

   • Sum & Direction of Forces: Since there is 1 small blue guy pulling to the left and 1 small red guy pulling to the right with equal force, the forces balance each other out.
   • Result: 0, so the net force is None (the cart does not move).

2. Medium Blue Guy & 1 Small Red Guy:

   • Sum & Direction of Forces: The medium blue guy exerts more force to the left compared to the small red guy pulling to the right.
   • Result: The net force would be more to the left. If we assume the medium blue guy's force is 2 times that of the small red guy, the total could be measured as 2 Left.

3. Big Blue Guy & 4 Small Red Guys:

   • Sum & Direction of Forces: The big blue guy exerts a greater force to the left than the combined force of the 4 small red guys pulling to the right.
   • Result: Assuming the big blue guy's force is strong enough compared to the sum of the small red guys, we could assess that the net force is 3 Right.

4. Medium Blue Guy on the Left & 1 Small Red Guy on the Right:

   • Sum & Direction of Forces: The medium blue guy will pull with greater strength left than the small red guy can pull to the right.
   • Result: The net force would likely be 1 Left.

5. Big Blue Guy on the Left & 4 Small Red Guys on the Right:

   • Sum & Direction of Forces: The big blue guy could pull much harder to the left than the 4 small red guys can pull to the right.
   • Result: If we assume the big blue guy is strong enough, the net force could be More Left (for example, 3 Left).

Summary Table:

| Scenario | Sum & Direction of Forces | |---------------------------------------------|---------------------------| | 1 Small Blue Guy & 1 Small Red Guy | 0 None | | Medium Blue Guy & 1 Small Red Guy | 2 Left | | Big Blue Guy & 4 Small Red Guys | 3 Right | | Medium Blue Guy on Left & 1 Small Red Guy | 1 Left | | Big Blue Guy on Left & 4 Small Red Guys | 3 Left |

Each calculation is assuming the comparative strength of the figures used in the scenarios, and the direction of the resulting net force indicates the overall movement of the cart.