Unbalanced Forces

Predict how unbalanced forces start, stop, speed up, slow down, or turn an object.

Warm-up, learn, try it together, practice, then a quick check. About 15 minutes.

What children learn in Level 52

If one team pulls harder, the forces are unbalanced, and the rope moves toward the stronger team.
Unbalanced forces can start something moving. The stronger push wins.
They can speed something up or slow it down. Push along its path to speed it up, and against its path to slow it down.
A push from the side makes it turn. So unbalanced forces can start, stop, speed up, slow down, or turn something.
Try it with a grown-up: roll a ball across the floor, then tap it from behind, from the front, and from the side. Watch what changes.

Georgia Standards of Excellence in Science:

S4P3.a — Plan and carry out an investigation on the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on an object and communicate the results.