What is Newton's third law?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

When evaluating Newton's laws, it's helpful to separate what each law states before identifying which option matches the third law.
Option a: 'An object remains at rest or moves at a constant velocity when the net force is zero.' This describes Newton's First Law (equilibrium of force) rather than a description of action-reaction pairs. It explains motion in the absence of net external force, not the forces between two interacting objects.
Option b: 'A force is an agent that changes the motion of an object.' This is a broad, general statement about force and how it can influence motion, but it does not specify the relationship between two interacting bodies or the concept of equal and opposite forces.
Option c: 'If two objects interact, each exerts a force of the same magnitude and opposite direction to the other object.' This is the hallmark of Newton's Third Law: action-reaction pairs are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, acting on two different objects.
Option d: 'The acceleration of the object is proportional to the net force and inversely proportional to its mass.' This captures Newton's Second Law (F = ma) and describes how force relates to acceleration for a single object, not the pairwise interaction described in the third law.
Thus, option c correctly states the essence of Newton's third law, while the other options describe principles from the first and second laws or provide a more general view of force without addressing the action-reaction pair concept.

UCIC 202503 PHYS101 Quiz 2

What is Newton's third law?

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