Balanced & Unbalanced Forces Simplified Revision Notes for GCSE AQA Physics

Revision notes with simplified explanations to understand Balanced & Unbalanced Forces quickly and effectively.

Learn about Forces & their Interactions for your GCSE Physics Exam. This Revision Note includes a summary of Forces & their Interactions for easy recall in your Physics exam

358+ students studying

5.1.8 Balanced & Unbalanced Forces

Balanced Forces

infoNote

Balanced forces occur when two or more forces acting on an object are equal in size but opposite in direction. As a result, the net force on the object is zero, and there is no change in the object's motion.

Key Points:

No Acceleration: When forces are balanced, the object remains at rest if it was initially at rest, or continues to move at a constant velocity if it was already in motion.
Equilibrium: The object is said to be in equilibrium.

lightbulbExample

Example:

Stationary Object: A book resting on a table experiences balanced forces. The gravitational force pulling the book downward is balanced by the normal force exerted by the table pushing the book upward.
Constant Velocity: A car moving at a constant speed on a straight, level road has balanced forces if the driving force from the engine equals the resistive forces (e.g., friction and air resistance).

Unbalanced Forces

infoNote

Unbalanced forces occur when the forces acting on an object are not equal in size or not opposite in direction. This results in a net force that causes a change in the object's motion.

Key Points:

Acceleration: When forces are unbalanced, the object will accelerate in the direction of the net force. This means the object will speed up, slow down, or change direction.
Change in Motion: The object is not in equilibrium and will experience a change in velocity.

lightbulbExample

Example:

Accelerating Car: When a car speeds up, the driving force from the engine is greater than the resistive forces. This unbalanced force causes the car to accelerate.
Falling Object: An object dropped from a height experiences unbalanced forces due to gravity pulling it downward, while air resistance acts in the opposite direction. If the object is in free fall, gravity is the dominant force causing acceleration.

500K+ Students Use These Powerful Tools to Master Balanced & Unbalanced Forces For their GCSE Exams.

Enhance your understanding with flashcards, quizzes, and exams—designed to help you grasp key concepts, reinforce learning, and master any topic with confidence!

70 flashcards

Flashcards on Balanced & Unbalanced Forces

Revise key concepts with interactive flashcards.

Try Physics Flashcards

7 quizzes

Quizzes on Balanced & Unbalanced Forces

Test your knowledge with fun and engaging quizzes.

Try Physics Quizzes

24 questions

Exam questions on Balanced & Unbalanced Forces

Boost your confidence with real exam questions.

Try Physics Questions