Assume all other forces on the chisel are balanced. Which statement describes the forces on the chisel?
The forces are unbalanced, so there is a net force on the chisel. The forces are balanced, so there is no net force on the chisel.
Clara is hammering a chisel into a block of marble to carve a sculpture. The hammer is pushing the chisel forward with a force of 40N. The block of marble is pushing the chisel backward with a force of 40N.
A force is a push or a pull that acts on an object. Every force has a direction and a magnitude, or strength. If two forces act on an object in opposite directions, the forces are called opposing forces.
When opposing forces have the same magnitude, they are balanced. If all the forces on an object are balanced, there is no net force on the object.
When opposing forces have different magnitudes, the forces are unbalanced. If any forces on an object are unbalanced, there is a net force on the object.
To determine if there is a net force on the chisel, look at the forces:
The hammer is pushing the chisel forward with a force of 40 N.
The block of marble is pushing the chisel backward with a force of 40 N.
The forces are in opposite directions, and the forces have the same magnitude: 40 N. This means that the forces are balanced, so there is no net force on the chisel.