Question

If a metal ball suspended by a rod is at rest, which force is responsible for balancing the force due to gravity?

Answer 1

The normal force applied by the rod on tbe metal ball is the force balancing the force due to gravity.

The normal force is the force that keeps any object from going through another object and that is why tables and floors can keep things up.

Answer 2

Any force coming from the surface and acting at a right angle to the surface is called the Normal Force.
normal force is responsible for balancing the force due to gravity.