Balanced Force: Difference, Examples & Unbalanced Force

Balanced force can be defined as a force that is opposite in direction and equal in size. Balanced forces are usually present in the state of equilibrium. Some of the characteristics of Balanced forces are:

• The magnitude of balanced forces are same.
• Forces present in a balanced system are equal in size.
• Balanced forces act on an oject in opposite directions.

There is no change in direction when the forces are balanced. For a balanced force, any stationary body is going to continue to be in the stationary position, whereas a moving object will continue to move at the same speed and direction. An example of balanced force is when an apple hangs from a tree, the force exerted by the branch on the apple balances the weight of the apple. While an apple falls from the tree, the net force on it becomes unbalanced.

Key Terms: Force, Balanced Force, Unbalanced Force, Newton’s First Law of Motion, Equilibrium, Speed

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What is Force?

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A force can be both a push and a pull. For example, when you push a door open, you must apply force to the door. To open a drawer, you must also exert force. When a force is applied to an object, it can change its:

• Speed
• Direction of movement
• The form of movement (for example, an elastic band gets longer if you pull it)

Force can be defined as:

Force

Forces can be contact forces, in which two objects must come into contact with each other to exert a force. Other forces are non-contact forces, in which objects do not have to come into contact with one another. These are some examples: gravity, magnetism, static electricity causes forces.

Forces are of two types:

• Balanced force
• Unbalanced force

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Newton’s First Law of Motion

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Newton’s First law of Motion claims that:

Simply, it states that unless acted upon by an external force, an object in uniform motion will remain in uniform motion. And an object at rest will remain at rest unless and until it is acted upon by an external force.

Newton's First law of Motion

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What is Balanced Force?

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A balanced force is defined as two equal-magnitude but opposite-direction forces acting on a body. Forces that are equal and opposing cancel each other out. As a result, a body at rest will remain at rest. And, once in motion, a body will remain in motion.

• Balanced forces cannot alter the state or direction of motion.
• They have the ability to change the shape of an object.
• Under the influence of balanced forces, the body will remain in its initial state of motion. Because of their opposing directions, the forces cancel each other out.

Balanced Force in Terminal Velocity: Terminal velocity is considered a very good example of balanced force since, here, the gravitational force and the air resistance balance ome another. The terminal velocity is reached in the case force of gravity is equivalent to the drag force on the object.

Balanced Forces Diagram

In a game of tug of war between equally matched opponents, neither of the teams can pull the opposing team towards themselves due to balanced forces. 

Balanced Force Example

When is a Force Balanced?

Forces will be balanced at any given point of time, unless and until any external force is added to them.

• For instance, consider the two forces acting on a book placed on a table.
• One force, which is the Earth's gravitational pull, can be observed to exert a downward force.
• Whereas, the other force, wherein the book pushes on the table (also often referred to as a normal force). 
• Since these two forces have equal magnitude and can be found in opposite directions, they balance one another.
• Thus, the book can be found in a state of equilibrium.
• There is no unbalanced force which acts upon the book, helping it maintain a state of motion. 

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Examples of Balanced Force 

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Some examples of Balanced Force are:

• The weight of an object is balanced against the usual force operating on a body. Due to gravity, the weight acts downward, whereas the normal force acts in the opposite direction with equal magnitude.
• A car that is pushed with equal force from both sides. The automobile will only be in its resting state. It's not going to move.
• A vertically positioned lizard on a wall. Due to the force of gravity, the lizard's weight should drag it down. Friction, on the other hand, balances it out with a force of equal size.
• A rope suspends a ball. The tension created by the rope balances the weight of the object. The stress is equal and in the opposite direction.
• A weighing balance in which the weights in both pans are the same.
• In a car, cruise control is used. Due to balanced forces, the car maintains a constant speed.
• In a game of arm wrestling, two opponents are evenly matched.
• An airplane in level flight with steady wings is in balance. The weight of the airplane balances the lift, and the drag balances the thrust.

The majority of balanced force examples can be divided into a few groups as well.

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What is Unbalanced Force?

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An unbalanced force is a force where two forces acting in opposing directions on a body and are not equal in magnitude and in size. Simply, the resultant of two opposite forces are seen to act on an object, thus bringing it to motion. These opposite forces are known as Unbalanced forces.

• A body changes its position in an unbalanced force.
• For instance, we can observe a moving object changing its direction, either increasing the speed or decreasing the speed and a body at rest also starts to move and vice versa.
• While balanced forced do not cause any change in motion, Unbalanced forces do cause a change in motion of an object.
• Unbalanced forces are typically not equal and opposite.

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Examples of Unbalanced Force

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Practically anything that moves is due to the exertion of unbalanced forces on it. Some of the examples of unbalanced force are as follows:

• Apple falling to the ground.
• The up and down movement of the seesaw.
• Kicking a soccer ball.
• The taking-off a rocket.
• Skiing along the mountain slopes.
• Hitting a baseball.
• Drowning of an object.

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Difference between Balanced and Unbalanced Force

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There are several differences between Balanced and Unbalanced Forces. Some of them include:

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Forces of Action and Reaction

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Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. As a result, the forces are of an identical magnitude and opposing direction. As a result, these forces can be considered balanced forces. Here are a few examples of this type:

• The weight of the object is normally equivalent to the normal force against the ground but in the opposite direction. The normal force and the object's weight cancel each other out.
• When we try to break through a barrier and nothing happens. To offset our force, the wall provides a reaction force in the opposite direction.

A Rope's Tension

A rope's or string's tension is always equal to and opposite to the load applied to it. Here are several examples:

• A ball is hanging from a rope. The ball will remain stationary due to the tension in the rope. The tension is equal to the gravitational force and acts in the opposite direction.
• A tree with an apple dangling from its branches. The tension in the tree branch balances the weight of the apple.
• When both teams use the same level of force in a tug-of-war match. Due to disparities in the stamina of the two sides, the forces become uneven over some time.

In the Water Floating

Objects float in water for a reason.

• The reason for this is that water creates an upthrust force that is equal to and opposes gravitational pull.
• The buoyant force is equal to the weight of the water displaced by the object, according to the Archimedes principle.
• As a result, the object's weight must be equal to the weight of the water displaced to float.

Friction in a Static State

Static friction is a self-adjusting force that adjusts to be equal to and opposite to the force applied to a stationary object. As a result, the object will remain motionless until the applied force exceeds the limiting friction, at which point the forces become imbalanced.

• Brick on a table is an example. Because the static friction adjusts itself to be equal and opposite, it will not move with the slightest push.
• On a hill, an automobile is parked. Gravitational force should ideally pull or slide the cars down because they are parked on an elevation. The static force of friction, on the other hand, provides an equal and opposite force to hold them at rest.

Also Read:

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Things to Remember

• When a force is applied to an object, it can change its: speed, the direction of movement, the form of movement.
•  Newton’s first law of motion states that unless acted upon by an external force, an object in uniform motion will remain in uniform motion.
• A balanced force is defined as two equal-magnitude but opposite-direction forces acting on a body. 
• Example of Balanced Force: A car that is pushed with equal force from both sides. The automobile will only be in its resting state. It's not going to move.
• An unbalanced force is a force where two forces acting in opposing directions on a body and are not equal in magnitude and in size.
• Example of Unbalanced force: Apple falling to the ground, the up and down movement of the seesaw., kicking a soccer ball.

Read Important Force PDF:

Force PDF