Balanced & Unbalanced Forces
Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object
Teaching approaches
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1 approach
Can your child explain why a book sitting on a table doesn't move (balanced forces) but slides when you push it (unbalanced forces)?
Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object
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3 before · 3 after
Before
This concept
Check understanding
- Define balanced forces (equal in size, opposite in direction — no change in motion) and unbalanced forces (cause motion to change)
- Plan a fair test investigating how different force sizes affect an object's motion
- Use results as evidence to explain when forces are balanced versus unbalanced
“Can your child explain why a book sitting on a table doesn't move (balanced forces) but slides when you push it (unbalanced forces)?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Procedural
- Subject
- Science
- Domain
- Forces & Motion
- Age range
- Ages 8–9
Standards