As you are walking, you foot gets caught on an uneven piece of sidewalk and you trip and fall. Which of the following explains what is happening using Newton's Laws?
a
The sidewalk pushed you, causing a rapid force that made you fall
b
The sidewalk provided a force to stop your foot, but the top of your body was still moving which is what causes you to tip over
c
Your foot hit the sidewalk and provided a force on it, so the sidewalk will provide another force back on your foot, equal in magnitude but opposite in direct
d
Your foot pushes the sidewalk with such force that it causes the next piece of sidewalk to be uprooted, which makes your next step miss your footing
C. Your foot hit the sidewalk and provided a force on it, so the sidewalk will provide another force back on your foot, equal in magnitude but opposite in direction.
c
Your foot hit the sidewalk and provided a force on it, so the sidewalk will provide another force back on your foot, equal in magnitude but opposite in direction.
This explanation is in line with Newton's third law of motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When your foot hits the uneven piece of sidewalk, it exerts a force on it. In response, the sidewalk exerts an equal and opposite force on your foot, causing you to trip and fall.
The correct answer is option c: "Your foot hit the sidewalk and provided a force on it, so the sidewalk will provide another force back on your foot, equal in magnitude but opposite in direction."
To explain this using Newton's Laws:
1. Newton's First Law of Motion, also known as the law of inertia, states that an object at rest will stay at rest, and an object in motion will stay in motion with the same speed and direction, unless acted upon by an external force. In this case, your foot is initially in motion as you walk.
2. As you walk, your foot encounters an uneven piece of sidewalk. Newton's Second Law of Motion states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. When your foot hits the uneven surface, the force exerted by your foot on the sidewalk causes an equal and opposite force exerted by the sidewalk on your foot, as described by Newton's Third Law of Motion.
3. The sidewalk providing a reaction force to your foot causes an imbalance, temporarily altering the motion of your foot. This sudden change in acceleration leads to your body losing stability, resulting in tripping and falling.
Therefore, option c is the correct explanation, incorporating Newton's Third Law of Motion and the concept of force and reaction force.
e) None of the above.
I mean, let's be honest here. Tripping is just one of those classic human moments where we sacrifice grace for comedy. Newton's Laws can certainly explain the physics happening, but what they can't explain is the hilarious timing of your misstep. So, I'll go with option e) You tripped because you are a hilarious and clumsy human being. Embrace it, my friend!