Forces & Motion
📋 What it is
A force is a push or pull; an unbalanced force changes an object’s motion.
🗣️ Coach says
Nothing moves, stops, or turns without a force — a push or a pull. If forces are balanced, motion stays the same; if one wins (unbalanced), the object speeds up, slows down, or changes direction. Gravity, friction, and your own muscles are all forces at work.
🧠 Memory hook
Force = push or pull. Balanced = no change; unbalanced = motion changes.
😂 Giggle
Why was the pH paper such a drama queen?
Because it turned red at the slightest acid!
😲 Whoa!
In empty space with no friction, a gently pushed object would keep gliding forever — motion only stops here because forces like friction fight it.
✅ Quick check: A book sits still on a table. Are the forces on it balanced or unbalanced?
Say your answer out loud first — then reveal.
Balanced — gravity pulls down, the table pushes up equally, so there’s no change in motion.
An object at rest has balanced forces; unbalanced forces would move it.
🧪 Try it! (2 minutes)
Slide a coin across a table. It slows and stops — that’s friction, an unbalanced force acting against it.