Newton's Third Law Flashcards

All 5 cards in this deck

State Newton's third law.

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction — the forces act on two different objects.

In a Newton's third law force pair, how do the two forces compare?

Equal in size, opposite in direction, the same type of force, and acting on two different objects.

A book rests on a table. What is the Newton's third law partner of the force the table exerts on the book?

The force the book exerts downwards on the table, equal in size and opposite in direction.

A book rests on a table. Are the book's weight and the normal contact force from the table a Newton's third law pair?

No. Both forces act on the book, and one is gravitational while the other is a contact force. A third-law pair acts on two different objects and is the same type of force.

What does it mean for an object to be in equilibrium?

There is no resultant force on it, so it stays at rest or keeps moving at a constant velocity.