If all of the forces acting on an object balance so that the...

If all of the forces acting on an object balance so that the net force is zero, then
(A) the object must be at rest
(B) the object’s speed will decrease
(C) the object’s direction of motion can change, but not its speed
(D) None of the above will occur.

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Key Concepts

Newton's First Law of Motion

This law, also known as the law of inertia, states that an object will continue in its state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by a net external force. It underpins the idea that if the forces acting on an object are balanced, the object's velocity (magnitude and direction) will remain unchanged.

Equilibrium

Equilibrium occurs when all the forces acting on an object cancel each other out, resulting in a net force of zero. In this state, there is no acceleration, meaning that if the object was at rest, it stays at rest; if it was moving, it continues to do so at a constant speed and in a straight line.

Newton's Second Law of Motion

This law provides a quantitative relationship between net force, mass, and acceleration, typically expressed as F_net = m × a. It implies that when the net force on an object is zero, the acceleration is zero, reaffirming that the object will either remain at rest or move at a uniform velocity.

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