Balanced and unbalanced forces worksheet for Grade 3 students, showing experiments with a book and hands to illustrate force concepts.

Here’s the solution to the “Balanced and Unbalanced Forces” worksheet, explained step by step:

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📚 Part 1: Pushing the book with one hand

> Task: Put a book on a table. With one hand, push the book a little bit. What happens?

✔ Answer:
> The book moves (slides) in the direction you pushed it.

🧪 Explanation:
When you push the book with one hand, you’re applying an unbalanced force — there’s no equal force pushing back from the other side. Since the forces are unbalanced, the book accelerates (starts moving) in the direction of the push. This matches the definition given at the top: *“If the forces acting on an object are unbalanced, or not the same, it will move or change shape.”*

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📚 Part 2: Pushing with both hands toward the middle

> Task: Now put one hand on each side of the book. Push with both hands toward the middle. Try to put equal force on the book with each hand. What happens?

✔ Answer:
> The book does not move — it stays still in place.

🧪 Explanation:
When you push equally from both sides, you’re applying balanced forces. The force from your left hand is equal in strength but opposite in direction to the force from your right hand. These forces cancel each other out, so there is no net force acting on the book. As a result, the book remains at rest — its motion doesn’t change. This also matches the rule: if forces are balanced (the same), the object won’t move (or change shape).

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🧠 Key Concept Summary:

- Unbalanced forces → Object moves or changes shape.
- Balanced forces → Object stays still (if it was at rest) or continues moving at constant speed (if already moving).

This activity helps students understand Newton’s First Law of Motion (Law of Inertia): An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

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✔ Final Answers for Worksheet:

First Box:
> The book slides or moves in the direction I pushed it because I applied an unbalanced force.

Second Box:
> The book does not move because I applied equal and opposite forces — they are balanced, so they cancel each other out.

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Let me know if you’d like a printable version or a diagram to go with this!