An external force:

Question

An external force:

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Clarifying the concept at hand, what does the phrase 'An external force' imply in physics?
Option 1: 'originates from outside the object it acts upon.' This aligns with the standard definition: an external force is exerted on an object by something outside that object, such as gravity pulling on a book or a push from a hand. It correctly emphasizes that the source lies outside the target object.
Option 2: 'is one an object exerts upon the environment.' This describes a force exerted by the object onto its surroundings, which is the action on the environment rather than on the object itself. That would be an internal or external interaction depending on perspective, but not the standard definition of an external force acting on the object.
Option 3: 'is not relevant to the problem and can be ignored.' Dismissing external forces would ignore how they influence motion, acceleration, and equilibrium. In most problems, external forces are central and cannot be ignored without changing the scenario.
Option 4: 'is canceled out by a reaction force.' This suggests a misapplication of Newton's third law. Reaction forces exist, but they act on the source of the external force, not canceling the external force on the object being acted upon. In general, external forces may produce acceleration even while reaction forces exist elsewhere.
In summary, the phrase describes a force that comes from outside the object and acts on it, which is the key idea behind external forces. The other options misrepresent the source of the force, its relevance, or the role of reaction forces in Newtonian mechanics.

PHYS1001 (ND) Topic 2 Pre-work Quiz

An external force:

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