A sledgehammer hits a wall. (Equal or Opposite reaction)
The wall pushes back with an equal force but in an opposite direction. (Equal or opposite reaction)
Equal reaction.
The sledgehammer hitting the wall creates a force on the wall. According to Newton's third law of motion, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Therefore, the wall pushes back on the sledgehammer with an equal force but in the opposite direction. So, the force exerted by the wall is an equal and opposite reaction to the force exerted by the sledgehammer.
The sledgehammer hitting the wall is an example of Newton's third law of motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
To understand this concept, you can follow these steps to determine the type of reactions involved:
1. Identify the action: In this situation, the action is the sledgehammer hitting the wall.
2. Determine the first reaction: The first reaction is the force exerted by the sledgehammer on the wall. This force is directed towards the wall.
3. Identify the second reaction: The second reaction is the force exerted by the wall on the sledgehammer. According to Newton's third law, this force is equal in magnitude to the force exerted by the sledgehammer, but in the opposite direction.
So, to answer your question:
- The first reaction (force exerted by the sledgehammer on the wall) is equal to the second reaction (force exerted by the wall on the sledgehammer).
- The first reaction (force exerted by the sledgehammer on the wall) is in the same direction as the sledgehammer hitting the wall.
- The second reaction (force exerted by the wall on the sledgehammer) is in the opposite direction of the sledgehammer hitting the wall.
Therefore, the force exerted by the wall on the sledgehammer is equal in magnitude but opposite in direction to the force exerted by the sledgehammer on the wall, satisfying Newton's third law of motion.