According to Newton's third law of motion, which statement is always correct?
A. If a moving object hits another object, then the second object will start moving
B. If a moving object hits another object, then the second object will push back.
C. If two moving objects collide, then both will stop moving
D. If two moving objects collide, then they will bounce off each other
D. If two moving objects collide, then they will bounce off each other
D. If two moving objects collide, then they will bounce off each other
To determine which statement is always correct according to Newton's third law of motion, we need to understand the principle behind this law. Newton's third law of motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
When object A exerts a force on object B, object B exerts an equal and opposite force back on object A. This means that the forces are always paired, with one force acting in one direction and the other force acting in the opposite direction.
Now let's analyze each statement:
A. If a moving object hits another object, then the second object will start moving.
This statement may or may not always be correct. When object A hits object B, the force exerted by object A on object B is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the force exerted by object B on object A. It will depend on factors such as the mass and initial velocities of the objects if the second object will start moving or not.
B. If a moving object hits another object, then the second object will push back.
This statement is more accurate than the first one. When object A hits object B, object B will indeed exert a force on object A in the opposite direction. This force is what we commonly perceive as "pushing back."
C. If two moving objects collide, then both will stop moving.
This statement is not always correct. When two moving objects collide, the forces they exert on each other will depend on their masses, velocities, and the type of collision (elastic or inelastic). They may stop moving, change directions, or keep moving at different speeds after the collision.
D. If two moving objects collide, then they will bounce off each other.
This statement is also not always correct. Whether two moving objects bounce off each other or not will depend on factors such as their masses, velocities, and the type of collision. In some cases, they may bounce off each other, while in others, they may stick together or separate with different velocities.
To summarize, the statement that is always correct according to Newton's third law of motion is:
B. If a moving object hits another object, then the second object will push back.
Remember that the outcome of a specific situation involving object collisions will depend on various factors, and this is where a more detailed analysis will be necessary.