Forces in perpendicular directions on the same object

An object is initially at rest. Two constant forces begin acting on it, and continue acting on it for a while. As suggested by the two arrows, the forces are perpendicular, and the rightward force is stronger. What happens?

Aristotle believed, and many students still do, that only one force can "give orders" to an object at one time. They therefore think that the object will begin speeding up and moving in the direction of the stronger force. In fact the object will move along a diagonal. In the example shown in the figure, the object will respond to the large rightward force with a large acceleration component to the right, and the small upward force will give it a small acceleration component upward. The stronger force does not overwhelm the weaker force, or have any effect on the upward motion at all. The force components simply add together: