Balanced and unbalanced forces
1.5.1What the syllabus asks of you
- Identify and use different types of force, including weight (gravitational force), friction, drag, air resistance, tension (elastic force), electrostatic force, magnetic force, thrust (driving force) and contact force
- Identify forces acting on an object and draw free-body diagram(s) representing the forces
- State Newton’s first law as ‘an object either remains at rest or continues to move in a straight line at constant speed unless acted on by a resultant force’
- State that a force may change the velocity of an object by changing its direction of motion or its speed
- Determine the resultant of two or more forces acting along the same straight line
- Recall and use the equation resultant force = mass × acceleration F = ma
- State Newton’s third law as ‘when object A exerts a force on object B, then object B exerts an equal and opposite force on object A’
- Know that Newton’s third law describes pairs of forces of the same type acting on different objects
Read the notes first
Chapter 1: Balanced and unbalanced forces
Drill this topic
Every question on Balanced and unbalanced forces, untimed, marked as you go.
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Choose the years and how many questions, then print it with the answers on separate pages.
50 questions
1May / June 2026 · Paper 11 · Q2Show mark scheme →
A
B
C
D
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2May / June 2026 · Paper 11 · Q8Show mark scheme →
A9.0 N
B18 N
C36 N
D54 N
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3May / June 2026 · Paper 11 · Q9Show mark scheme →
A$F_2$ is a gravitational force that acts on O.
B$F_2$ is a gravitational force that acts on a different object.
C$F_2$ is a force of a different type that acts on O.
D$F_2$ is a force of a different type that acts on a different object.
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4May / June 2026 · Paper 12 · Q7Show mark scheme →
Acontact force magnetic force friction
Bcontact force electrostatic force weight
Ctension magnetic force weight
Dtension electrostatic force friction
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5Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 11 · Q9Show mark scheme →
Aa force downwards on the Earth
Ba force downwards on the man
Ca force upwards on the Earth
Da force upwards on the man
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6Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 12 · Q8Also set in Oct / Nov 2020 Paper 11, Oct / Nov 2020 Paper 12Show mark scheme →
Amass, shape, velocity
Bmass, shape, volume
Cmass, velocity, volume
Dshape, velocity, volume
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7Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 12 · Q9Show mark scheme →
Aspeed–time graph: curve increasing from origin, becoming horizontal at t0
Bspeed–time graph: curve decreasing from a maximum at t=0 to zero at t0
Cspeed–time graph: straight line increasing from origin, becoming horizontal at t0
Dspeed–time graph: straight line decreasing from a maximum at t=0 to zero at t0
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8Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 12 · Q10Show mark scheme →
Aweight (up arrow), contact force (down arrow)
Bcontact force (up arrow), weight (down arrow)
Cweight (up arrow), contact force (down arrow)
Dcontact force (up arrow), weight (down arrow)
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9Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 11 · Q9Show mark scheme →
Aacceleration, 60
Bacceleration, 100
Cdeceleration, 60
Ddeceleration, 100
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10Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 12 · Q8Show mark scheme →
Aforce of air on object (up), force from Earth on object (down)
Bforce of air on object (down), force from Earth on object (down)
Cforce of air on object (down), force from Earth on object (up)
Dforce of air on object (up), force from Earth on object (up)
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11May / June 2024 · Paper 11 · Q5Show mark scheme →
AA
BB
CC
DD
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12May / June 2024 · Paper 12 · Q2Show mark scheme →
Ahorizontal arrow to the right
Bhorizontal arrow to the left
Carrow pointing down and slightly right
Darrow pointing up and slightly right
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13May / June 2024 · Paper 12 · Q7Show mark scheme →
Avalue of resistive force R / N: 500, motion: deceleration
Bvalue of resistive force R / N: 800, motion: acceleration
Cvalue of resistive force R / N: 900, motion: deceleration
Dvalue of resistive force R / N: 1000, motion: acceleration
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14May / June 2024 · Paper 12 · Q8Show mark scheme →
AP and Q
BP and R
CQ and S
DR and S
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15May / June 2024 · Paper 12 · Q9Show mark scheme →
A
B
C
D
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16Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 12 · Q5Show mark scheme →
A0
B500 N downwards
C2000 N downwards
D9800 N downwards
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17May / June 2023 · Paper 11 · Q7Show mark scheme →
A0.050 kg
B0.13 kg
C20 kg
D80 kg
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18May / June 2023 · Paper 12 · Q8Show mark scheme →
Athe types of forces in the pair: different, the objects on which they act: different
Bthe types of forces in the pair: different, the objects on which they act: same
Cthe types of forces in the pair: same, the objects on which they act: different
Dthe types of forces in the pair: same, the objects on which they act: same
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19Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 12 · Q1Also set in Oct / Nov 2022 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
A3 N to the left
B9 N to the left
C6 N to the right
D13 N to the right
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20Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 12 · Q6Show mark scheme →
AP and Q only
BP and R only
CQ and R only
DP, Q and R
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21May / June 2022 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
A1.0 N
B5.0 N
C7.0 N
D12 N
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22May / June 2022 · Paper 12 · Q4Show mark scheme →
A120 N
B480 N
C600 N
D720 N
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23Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 12 · Q4Show mark scheme →
AF + W = 0
BF – T = 0
CF – W – T = 0
DF – W + T = 0
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24May / June 2021 · Paper 12 · Q3Show mark scheme →
AP and R only
BQ and S only
CP, Q and R only
DP, Q, R and S
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25Oct / Nov 2020 · Paper 11 · Q4Show mark scheme →
Adownwards / downwards
Bdownwards / upwards
Cupwards / downwards
Dupwards / upwards
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26Oct / Nov 2020 · Paper 12 · Q1Also set in Oct / Nov 2020 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
ADiagram A: T pointing up-right, W pointing down, R pointing left
BDiagram B: T pointing down-left, W pointing down, R pointing right
CDiagram C: T pointing up-right, W pointing down, R pointing down-left
DDiagram D: T pointing down-left, W pointing down, R pointing up-right
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27Oct / Nov 2020 · Paper 12 · Q5Also set in Oct / Nov 2020 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
A800 N
B1200 N
C2000 N
D3200 N
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28Oct / Nov 2020 · Paper 12 · Q6Show mark scheme →
AA
BB
CC
DD
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29May / June 2020 · Paper 12 · Q6Also set in May / June 2020 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
A5000 N
B6000 N
C11 000 N
D16 000 N
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30May / June 2020 · Paper 12 · Q7Also set in May / June 2020 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
AP and Q
BP and R
CP and S
DQ and R
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31Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 11 · Q6Show mark scheme →
Acontact forces and air resistance
Bcontact forces and weight
Cdriving force and air resistance
Ddriving force and weight
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32Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 11 · Q7Show mark scheme →
Aa change in the direction of the moving body
Ba change in the mass of the body initially at rest
Ca change in the position of the body initially at rest
Da change in the speed of the moving body
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33Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 12 · Q8Also set in Oct / Nov 2019 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
AA
BB
CC
DD
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34May / June 2019 · Paper 11 · Q2Show mark scheme →
Adiagram A
Bdiagram B
Cdiagram C
Ddiagram D
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35May / June 2019 · Paper 11 · Q6Show mark scheme →
AW and Y are equal, X and Z are equal.
BW and Y are equal, X is greater than Z.
CX and Z are equal, Y is greater than W.
DY is greater than W, X is greater than Z.
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36May / June 2019 · Paper 12 · Q5Also set in May / June 2019 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
AP and Q
BP and R
CQ and S
DR and S
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37May / June 2019 · Paper 12 · Q6Show mark scheme →
A0
B6.0 N
C60 N
D600 N
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38Oct / Nov 2018 · Paper 12 · Q1Show mark scheme →
Abalanced / acceleration
Bbalanced / constant speed
Cunbalanced / acceleration
Dunbalanced / constant speed
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39Oct / Nov 2018 · Paper 12 · Q3Also set in Oct / Nov 2018 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
Aengine: speed stays constant / truck: slows down
Bengine: speeds up / truck: slows down
Cengine: speed stays constant / truck: stops immediately
Dengine: speeds up / truck: stops immediately
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40Oct / Nov 2018 · Paper 12 · Q4Show mark scheme →
Aa car moving along a straight horizontal road at constant speed
Ba car moving around a bend at constant speed
Ca car moving uphill at constant velocity
Da car that is stationary
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41May / June 2018 · Paper 12 · Q11Show mark scheme →
A0.50 / 0.13
B0.50 / 0.50
C2.0 / 2.0
D2.0 / 8.0
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42May / June 2017 · Paper 11 · Q5Show mark scheme →
Aspeed-time graph: curve rising from origin with decreasing gradient, becoming horizontal at t0
Bspeed-time graph: curve decreasing from a maximum at t=0, approaching zero at t0
Cspeed-time graph: straight line rising from origin to t0, then horizontal
Dspeed-time graph: straight line decreasing from a maximum at t=0 to zero at t0
Mark scheme
43May / June 2017 · Paper 12 · Q6Show mark scheme →
A60 N
B70 N
C90 N
D100 N
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44May / June 2017 · Paper 12 · Q7Show mark scheme →
A24 000 N
B40 000 N
C480 000 N
D720 000 N
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45May / June 2017 · Paper 12 · Q9Also set in May / June 2017 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
AA
BB
CC
DD
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46Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 11 · Q6Show mark scheme →
Anormal contact force, weight (book on table)
Bfriction, tension (block being pulled along the ground)
Celectron attracted to nucleus, nucleus attracted to electron
Dair resistance, weight (parachutist)
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47Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 12 · Q5Show mark scheme →
A5.0 backwards
B15 backwards
C15 forwards
D35 forwards
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48Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 12 · Q9Show mark scheme →
AP and Q
BP and R
CP and S
DQ and R
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49May / June 2016 · Paper 11 · Q8Show mark scheme →
Amass, shape, velocity
Bmass, shape, volume
Cmass, velocity, volume
Dshape, velocity, volume
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50May / June 2016 · Paper 12 · Q2Also set in May / June 2016 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
A0.63 m / s2
B1.6 m / s2
C2.4 m / s2
D3.2 m / s2
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