A force is just a push or a pull. Every time you kick a ball, open a door, or drag a wagon, you are using a force. Forces are what make things start moving, stop moving, or change direction.

Sometimes two forces push against each other with equal strength. When that happens, the forces are balanced, and nothing moves. Think of two teams in a tug-of-war pulling the rope just as hard, so the flag in the middle stays still.

When one side is stronger, the forces become unbalanced. Now the rope and everyone on it start sliding toward the winning team. Unbalanced forces are what make an object start to move or speed up.

You can see balanced forces in a book sitting on a table. Gravity pulls the book down, and the table pushes the book up with the same strength. Because the pushes are equal, the book stays perfectly still.

To get something moving, you need to break the tie. A soccer ball rests on the grass until your foot gives it an unbalanced push. The moment one force wins, the ball zooms across the field.

So whenever you see something start, stop, or change direction, an unbalanced force is behind it. And whenever something stays still even though it is being pushed, the forces on it are balanced.