A body is at rest on the surface of the earth. Which one among the following statements is correct regarding this?

When a body is at rest on the Earth's surface, it is in a state of static equilibrium [t1][t4]. According to Newton's First Law, an object at rest must have a net force of zero acting upon it [t3]. Two primary forces are involved: the gravitational force (weight), which pulls the object downward toward the Earth's center [c1][c2], and the normal force, which is the support force exerted upward by the surface [t6]. For the body to remain stationary, these two forces must be equal in magnitude and opposite in direction [t2][t5]. Therefore, the net downward force (weight) is balanced by the net upward force (normal reaction), resulting in zero net acceleration [t1][t8]. Statement 1 is incorrect because forces are present; statement 2 is incorrect because the normal force also acts on the body to prevent it from falling through the surface.

Sources

1. [1] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 5: Exploring Forces > Snapshots > p. 77
2. [2] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 5: Exploring Forces > 5.5 Weight and Its Measurement > p. 72