If you attach 2 spring scales to a metal ring and pull gently in opposite directions, what should the net force exerted on the ring be?
The correct answer and explanation is:
The net force exerted on the metal ring should be zero if both spring scales are pulling gently in opposite directions with equal force.
Explanation:
In this scenario, when two spring scales are attached to the metal ring and pulled in opposite directions with equal forces, the system is in equilibrium. Equilibrium occurs when the forces acting on an object cancel each other out, resulting in no net force.
If the forces exerted by the spring scales are of the same magnitude but in opposite directions, they will balance each other out. This is because the forces acting in opposite directions are equal in size, but in opposite orientations. In such a case, the metal ring experiences no unbalanced force and remains stationary (assuming no external forces like friction or air resistance are significant).
The force measured by each spring scale is the tension force exerted on the ring, but since the forces are balanced, the net force on the ring is the sum of the two forces. Since the forces are equal and opposite, the sum equals zero. This is consistent with Newton’s First Law of Motion, which states that an object at rest will stay at rest unless acted upon by a net external force.
Additionally, if the spring scales are not perfectly aligned, or if there is a slight difference in the forces they measure, there might be a small unbalanced force, but in ideal conditions, the net force would remain zero.
This situation demonstrates static equilibrium, where the forces acting on an object balance out, and there is no resulting movement.