# 5.5 Newton’s third law  (Page 4/6)

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Check Your Understanding Two blocks are at rest and in contact on a frictionless surface as shown below, with ${m}_{1}=2.0\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\text{kg},$ ${m}_{2}=6.0\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\text{kg},$ and applied force 24 N. (a) Find the acceleration of the system of blocks. (b) Suppose that the blocks are later separated. What force will give the second block, with the mass of 6.0 kg, the same acceleration as the system of blocks?

a. $3.0\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\text{m}\text{/}{\text{s}}^{2}$ ; b. 18 N

View this video to watch examples of action and reaction.

View this video to watch examples of Newton’s laws and internal and external forces.

## Summary

• Newton’s third law of motion represents a basic symmetry in nature, with an experienced force equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to an exerted force.
• Two equal and opposite forces do not cancel because they act on different systems.
• Action-reaction pairs include a swimmer pushing off a wall, helicopters creating lift by pushing air down, and an octopus propelling itself forward by ejecting water from its body. Rockets, airplanes, and cars are pushed forward by a thrust reaction force.
• Choosing a system is an important analytical step in understanding the physics of a problem and solving it.

## Conceptual questions

Identify the action and reaction forces in the following situations: (a) Earth attracts the Moon, (b) a boy kicks a football, (c) a rocket accelerates upward, (d) a car accelerates forward, (e) a high jumper leaps, and (f) a bullet is shot from a gun.

a. action: Earth pulls on the Moon, reaction: Moon pulls on Earth; b. action: foot applies force to ball, reaction: ball applies force to foot; c. action: rocket pushes on gas, reaction: gas pushes back on rocket; d. action: car tires push backward on road, reaction: road pushes forward on tires; e. action: jumper pushes down on ground, reaction: ground pushes up on jumper; f. action: gun pushes forward on bullet, reaction: bullet pushes backward on gun.

Suppose that you are holding a cup of coffee in your hand. Identify all forces on the cup and the reaction to each force.

(a) Why does an ordinary rifle recoil (kick backward) when fired? (b) The barrel of a recoilless rifle is open at both ends. Describe how Newton’s third law applies when one is fired. (c) Can you safely stand close behind one when it is fired?

a. The rifle (the shell supported by the rifle) exerts a force to expel the bullet; the reaction to this force is the force that the bullet exerts on the rifle (shell) in opposite direction. b. In a recoilless rifle, the shell is not secured in the rifle; hence, as the bullet is pushed to move forward, the shell is pushed to eject from the opposite end of the barrel. c. It is not safe to stand behind a recoilless rifle.

## Problems

(a) What net external force is exerted on a 1100.0-kg artillery shell fired from a battleship if the shell is accelerated at $2.40\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}×\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}{10}^{4}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}{\text{m/s}}^{2}?$ (b) What is the magnitude of the force exerted on the ship by the artillery shell, and why?

a. ${F}_{\text{net}}=2.64\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}×\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}{10}^{7}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\text{N;}$ b. The force exerted on the ship is also $2.64\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}×\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}{10}^{7}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\text{N}$ because it is opposite the shell’s direction of motion.

A brave but inadequate rugby player is being pushed backward by an opposing player who is exerting a force of 800.0 N on him. The mass of the losing player plus equipment is 90.0 kg, and he is accelerating backward at $1.20\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}{\text{m/s}}^{2}$ . (a) What is the force of friction between the losing player’s feet and the grass? (b) What force does the winning player exert on the ground to move forward if his mass plus equipment is 110.0 kg?

A history book is lying on top of a physics book on a desk, as shown below; a free-body diagram is also shown. The history and physics books weigh 14 N and 18 N, respectively. Identify each force on each book with a double subscript notation (for instance, the contact force of the history book pressing against physics book can be described as ${\stackrel{\to }{F}}_{\text{HP}}$ ), and determine the value of each of these forces, explaining the process used.

Because the weight of the history book is the force exerted by Earth on the history book, we represent it as ${\stackrel{\to }{F}}_{\text{EH}}=-14\stackrel{^}{j}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\text{N}\text{.}$ Aside from this, the history book interacts only with the physics book. Because the acceleration of the history book is zero, the net force on it is zero by Newton’s second law: ${\stackrel{\to }{F}}_{\text{PH}}+{\stackrel{\to }{F}}_{\text{EH}}=\stackrel{\to }{0},$ where ${\stackrel{\to }{F}}_{\text{PH}}$ is the force exerted by the physics book on the history book. Thus, ${\stackrel{\to }{F}}_{\text{PH}}=\text{−}{\stackrel{\to }{F}}_{\text{EH}}=\text{−}\left(-14\stackrel{^}{j}\right)\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\text{N}=14\stackrel{^}{j}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\text{N}\text{.}$ We find that the physics book exerts an upward force of magnitude 14 N on the history book. The physics book has three forces exerted on it: ${\stackrel{\to }{F}}_{\text{EP}}$ due to Earth, ${\stackrel{\to }{F}}_{\text{HP}}$ due to the history book, and ${\stackrel{\to }{F}}_{\text{DP}}$ due to the desktop. Since the physics book weighs 18 N, ${\stackrel{\to }{F}}_{\text{EP}}=-18\stackrel{^}{j}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\text{N}\text{.}$ From Newton’s third law, ${\stackrel{\to }{F}}_{\text{HP}}=\text{−}{\stackrel{\to }{F}}_{\text{PH}},$ so ${\stackrel{\to }{F}}_{\text{HP}}=-14\stackrel{^}{j}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\text{N}\text{.}$ Newton’s second law applied to the physics book gives $\sum \stackrel{\to }{F}=\stackrel{\to }{0},$ or ${\stackrel{\to }{F}}_{\text{DP}}+{\stackrel{\to }{F}}_{\text{EP}}+{\stackrel{\to }{F}}_{\text{HP}}=\stackrel{\to }{0},$ so ${\stackrel{\to }{F}}_{\text{DP}}=\text{−}\left(-18\stackrel{^}{j}\right)-\left(-14\stackrel{^}{j}\right)=32\stackrel{^}{j}\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\text{N}\text{.}$ The desk exerts an upward force of 32 N on the physics book. To arrive at this solution, we apply Newton’s second law twice and Newton’s third law once.

A truck collides with a car, and during the collision, the net force on each vehicle is essentially the force exerted by the other. Suppose the mass of the car is 550 kg, the mass of the truck is 2200 kg, and the magnitude of the truck’s acceleration is $10\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}{\text{m/s}}^{2}$ . Find the magnitude of the car’s acceleration.

a particle projected from origin moving on x-y plane passes through P & Q having consituents (9,7) , (18,4) respectively.find eq. of trajectry.
definition of inertia
the reluctance of a body to start moving when it is at rest and to stop moving when it is in motion
charles
An inherent property by virtue of which the body remains in its pure state or initial state
Kushal
why current is not a vector quantity , whereas it have magnitude as well as direction.
why
daniel
the flow of current is not current
fitzgerald
bcoz it doesn't satisfy the algabric laws of vectors
Shiekh
The Electric current can be defined as the dot product of the current density and the differential cross-sectional area vector : ... So the electric current is a scalar quantity . Scalars are related to tensors by the fact that a scalar is a tensor of order or rank zero .
Kushal
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Tollum
What is the formula to calculat parallel forces that acts in opposite direction?
position, velocity and acceleration of vector
hi
peter
hi
daniel
hi
Vedisha
*a plane flies with a velocity of 1000km/hr in a direction North60degree east.find it effective velocity in the easterly and northerly direction.*
imam
hello
Lydia
hello Lydia.
Sackson
What is momentum
isijola
hello
A rail way truck of mass 2400kg is hung onto a stationary trunk on a level track and collides with it at 4.7m|s. After collision the two trunk move together with a common speed of 1.2m|s. Calculate the mass of the stationary trunk
I need the solving for this question
philip
is the eye the same like the camera
I can't understand
Suraia
Josh
I think the question is that ,,, the working principal of eye and camera same or not?
Sardar
yes i think is same as the camera
what are the dimensions of surface tension
samsfavor
why is the "_" sign used for a wave to the right instead of to the left?
why classical mechanics is necessary for graduate students?
classical mechanics?
Victor
principle of superposition?
principle of superposition allows us to find the electric field on a charge by finding the x and y components
Kidus
Two Masses,m and 2m,approach each along a path at right angles to each other .After collision,they stick together and move off at 2m/s at angle 37° to the original direction of the mass m. What where the initial speeds of the two particles
MB
2m & m initial velocity 1.8m/s & 4.8m/s respectively,apply conservation of linear momentum in two perpendicular directions.
Shubhrant
A body on circular orbit makes an angular displacement given by teta(t)=2(t)+5(t)+5.if time t is in seconds calculate the angular velocity at t=2s
MB
2+5+0=7sec differentiate above equation w.r.t time, as angular velocity is rate of change of angular displacement.
Shubhrant
Ok i got a question I'm not asking how gravity works. I would like to know why gravity works. like why is gravity the way it is. What is the true nature of gravity?
gravity pulls towards a mass...like every object is pulled towards earth
Ashok
An automobile traveling with an initial velocity of 25m/s is accelerated to 35m/s in 6s,the wheel of the automobile is 80cm in diameter. find * The angular acceleration
(10/6) ÷0.4=4.167 per sec
Shubhrant
what is the formula for pressure?
force/area
Kidus
force is newtom
Kidus
and area is meter squared
Kidus
so in SI units pressure is N/m^2
Kidus
In customary United States units pressure is lb/in^2. pound per square inch
Kidus