Unbalanced forces act on an object when there is a net force acting on it, causing it to accelerate or change its state of motion.
In the provided scenarios:
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Two people stand on the same side of a large tire. Both people pull the tire with equal force. (Balanced forces – net force is zero)
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Two people stand on opposite sides of a large tire. Both people pull the tire with equal force. (Balanced forces – net force is zero)
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Two people stand on the same side of a large tire. One person pushes the tire and the other pulls the tire with equal force. (Balanced forces – net force is zero)
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Two people stand on opposite sides of a large tire. Both people push the tire with equal force. (Balanced forces – net force is zero)
The situation that describes unbalanced forces is:
- Two people stand on the same side of a large tire. One person pushes the tire and the other pulls the tire with equal force.
This scenario involves one person pushing and the other pulling in different directions, resulting in a net force, indicating that the forces are unbalanced.
So, the correct response is: Two people stand on the same side of a large tire. One person pushes the tire and the other pulls the tire with equal force.