To determine what happens to the box, we need to analyze the forces acting on it.
- If there are two forces acting on the box, we should consider their magnitudes and directions:
- If one force is greater than the other and both forces are directed to the right (or left), the box will experience a net force in that direction, resulting in an increase in speed.
- If the forces are equal in size but opposite in direction, they will cancel each other out, resulting in no net force, and the box will move at a constant speed (or remain at rest if it was initially at rest).
Since the question mentions that the box is initially at rest on a frictionless surface, we can conclude:
- If the box experiences a net force acting to the right, it will move at an increasing speed to the right (option a).
- If the net force is acting to the left, it will move at an increasing speed to the left (option b).
However, without specific information about the magnitudes and directions of the forces, multiple scenarios can occur.
If we assume there is a net force acting to the right (meaning the force directed to the right is greater than the force to the left), then the correct answer would be: a. It will move at an increasing speed to the right.
If the context implies the opposite (net leftward force), the answer would be: b. It will move at an increasing speed to the left.
If the forces are equal, then it would not move at all or continue at a constant speed horizontally (either left or right).
For a definitive answer, we would need to know the exact nature of the two forces depicted.