How do bumping cars at a amusement park demonstrate newtons third law
When cars bump into each other at an amusement park, it is a clear demonstration of Newton's third law of motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Here's how it applies in the context of bumper cars:
1. Action: When a bumper car collides with another, it exerts a force on the other car. This force is the action.
2. Reaction: In response to the action force, the other car exerts an equal and opposite force back on the first car. This force is the reaction.
3. Conservation of Momentum: According to Newton's third law, the force exerted by the first car on the second car and the force exerted by the second car on the first car are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. This means the total momentum of the system (the two cars) remains unchanged. The combined forces of the colliding cars lead to a change in their velocities.
4. Pushback: The reaction force pushes the first car back in the opposite direction from which it collided. It causes the first car to bounce or move backward.
5. Experience of the Riders: The riders inside the bumper cars also experience the reaction force. They feel the impact and are pushed forward or backward depending on the direction of the collision.
By experiencing the collisions between bumper cars, people get a firsthand demonstration of Newton's third law. It shows how forces always occur in pairs, and any force exerted on one object will result in an equal and opposite force on the other object.