Which of the following represents the effects of a balanced force?

The statement that net force is zero accurately represents the effects of balanced forces. When forces acting on an object are balanced, they cancel each other out, resulting in no change in the object's state of motion. This means that if an object is at rest, it will stay at rest, and if it is in motion, it will continue moving at a constant velocity. This concept aligns with Newton's first law of motion, which states that an object will remain in its current state of motion unless acted upon by a net external force.

The notion of net force being equal to mass pertains to Newton's second law of motion, which is relevant when discussing unbalanced forces causing acceleration but does not describe a state of balance. The idea that net force equals acceleration also follows from the second law and only applies when an object is accelerating due to unbalanced forces, which contradicts the concept of balanced forces. Lastly, describing net force as variable does not capture the essence of balanced forces, as balance implies a consistent state of zero net force rather than varying forces in action.