Imagine a scenario in which an animal is pushing itself forward with a force of 5 N and friction is pushing it 4 N backward. Meanwhile, gravity is pushing the animal 10 N down, and the ground is pushing it 10 N up. Which statement best describes the movement of the animal?(1 point)

Question

Responses

It moves forward and upward because those are the greatest net forces.
It moves forward and upward because those are the greatest net forces.

It moves 10 N down and 10 N up as those are the greatest forces acting on the animal.
It moves 10 N down and 10 N up as those are the greatest forces acting on the animal.

​​​​​​It moves 29 N forward because that's the net force.
​​​​​​ It moves 29 N forward because that's the net force.

It only moves forward because there is a net force forward.
It only moves forward because there is a net force forward.

Answer 1

The correct statement that best describes the movement of the animal is:

It only moves forward because there is a net force forward.

Here's the reasoning:

The animal is pushing forward with a force of 5 N, while friction is pushing it backward with a force of 4 N. The net force in the forward direction is 5 N - 4 N = 1 N forward, which indicates that the animal is indeed moving forward.

In terms of vertical forces, the forces of gravity (10 N down) and the ground's push (10 N up) cancel each other out, resulting in no net vertical movement. Therefore, the primary movement of the animal is forward due to the net force in that direction.