A worker pushes horizontally on a 2000 N refrigerator on a kitchen floor with a force of 28.0 N.
A. If the refrigerator moves forward, this person feels it pushing back with less than 28.0 N.
B. The person always feels a 28.0 N push from the refrigerator.
C. The person feels a 28.0 N push from the refrigerator only if it does not move.
D. The person feels a 2000 N push from the refrigerator.
B.
newtons 3rd law
The correct answer is option A. If the refrigerator moves forward, the person will feel it pushing back with less than 28.0 N.
This is because the person's applied force of 28.0 N is not enough to overcome the friction between the refrigerator and the floor. As a result, the refrigerator will remain stationary or move with a smaller acceleration. The person will therefore feel a smaller push back from the refrigerator, which is less than the applied force of 28.0 N.
To answer this question, we need to understand Newton's third law of motion: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
When the worker pushes the refrigerator horizontally with a force of 28.0 N, according to Newton's third law, the refrigerator exerts an equal and opposite force back on the worker. This means that the worker feels a push from the refrigerator in the opposite direction.
Now let's analyze each statement to determine which one is correct:
A. If the refrigerator moves forward, this person feels it pushing back with less than 28.0 N.
This statement is incorrect. According to Newton's third law, the worker will feel a push from the refrigerator equal to the force they exert on it, which is 28.0 N, regardless of whether the refrigerator is moving forward or not. So, the correct pushback force is 28.0 N.
B. The person always feels a 28.0 N push from the refrigerator.
This statement is correct. As mentioned earlier, the worker will feel a push from the refrigerator equal to the force they exert on it, which is 28.0 N.
C. The person feels a 28.0 N push from the refrigerator only if it does not move.
This statement is incorrect. The worker will feel a push from the refrigerator equal to the force they exert on it, regardless of whether it is stationary or in motion. So, even if the refrigerator moves, the pushback force will still be 28.0 N.
D. The person feels a 2000 N push from the refrigerator.
This statement is incorrect. The worker does not feel a push from the refrigerator equal to its weight (2000 N). The pushback force felt by the worker is equal to the force they exert on the refrigerator, which is 28.0 N.
Therefore, the correct answer is B. The person always feels a 28.0 N push from the refrigerator.