Understanding Newton's Third Law of Motion

Interaction

A relationship between two objects involving forces.

Force Pair

Two forces acting on different objects mutually.

Newton's Third Law

For every action, there is an equal reaction.

Action Force

The force exerted by the first object.

Reaction Force

The force exerted by the second object.

Equal and Opposite Forces

Forces that are equal in strength, opposite in direction.

Different Objects

Action and reaction forces act on separate entities.

Example of Interaction

Hand and wall pushing against each other.

Rocket Interaction

Rocket pushes gas; gas pushes rocket back.

Car Tires and Road

Tires push back; road pushes tires forward.

Mass Influence

Greater mass results in less perceptible motion.

Earth's Gravitational Pull

Earth pulls objects downward due to gravity.

Perceptible Motion

Motion too small to be noticed by humans.

Force of Kicking

Player kicks ball with 1500 N of force.

Reaction to Kicking

Ball exerts 1500 N force back on player.

Step Off Curb

You pull Earth upward while falling.

Earth's Mass

Earth's enormous mass makes its motion imperceptible.

Action-Reaction Pair

Identifying forces in an interaction context.

Force Existence

Neither action nor reaction force exists alone.

Interaction Identification

Recognizing forces acting between two objects.

Air Resistance

Opposing force encountered when moving through air.