Can you maybe give me two examples for action-reaction forces? I'm curious. Thanks!
Please help, Steve. :)
(Moon gravitational force on Earth) = (Earth gravitational force on Moon)
Your weight on a scale = scale's upward force on your feet.
Of course! Action and reaction forces are a pair of forces that occur simultaneously whenever one object exerts a force on another object. Here are two examples:
Example 1: When you are standing on the ground, you exert a downward force on the ground due to your weight. According to Newton's third law of motion, the ground exerts an equal and opposite force upward on you. This force allows you to stay balanced and prevents you from sinking into the ground.
Example 2: When you push a book on a table, your hand exerts a forward force on the book. Simultaneously, the book exerts an equal and opposite force backward on your hand. These action and reaction forces explain why you feel a resistance as you push the book.
To better understand action-reaction forces in such situations, consider Newton's third law of motion: "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." When identifying action-reaction pairs of forces, look for two objects involved, and if one exerts a force on the other, the other exerts an equal and opposite force back.
By observing the interactions between objects and understanding Newton's third law of motion, you can identify countless examples of action-reaction forces in the world around you.