Action/reaction pair Newton's law

In summary, when a man swims, he must push water in order to propel himself forward. This creates a force of resistance from the water, known as drag. Similarly, when an aircraft flies, it pushes against the air and experiences a force of drag. This demonstrates the concept of action and reaction pairs of force, where one object transfers momentum to another object, resulting in equal but opposite forces.
  • #1
moomoocow
14
0
hi
i have a question
if in a question, and they ask, action/reaction pair of the force
lets say a man is swimming..and they say name the action/reaction pair of the force, of the force that causes the man to accelerate..how would i reply?
 
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  • #2
When someone pushes or pulls an object or pushes a fluid, the object or fluid resists with a force.

In order to swim, one must push water, or otherwise transfer momentum to the water in order to propel oneself. Then when one moves forward, the water in which one swims pushes back.

Similarly, when an aircraft flies, their air is pushing back (in reality, the aircraft pushes against the air and loses momentum at a more or less contant rate.)

The resistance force of the fluid is the drag on an object moving through the fluid.
 
  • #3
oh ok i see thanks!
 
  • #4
You can think of one object flinging a piece of momentum from itself to the other object, which absorbs that momentum piece to its own.

Thus, the first object loses momentum and the second gains momentum in equal measure.
 

FAQ: Action/reaction pair Newton's law

What is Newton's third law of motion?

Newton's third law of motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This means that when an object exerts a force on another object, the second object exerts an equal and opposite force back on the first object.

What is an action/reaction pair?

An action/reaction pair refers to the two forces that are involved in Newton's third law of motion. These forces act on different objects and are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.

Can an object exert a force on itself?

No, according to Newton's third law, an object cannot exert a force on itself. The action and reaction forces must act on different objects.

How does Newton's third law apply to everyday life?

Newton's third law can be seen in many everyday situations, such as walking, where the ground exerts an equal and opposite force on our feet as we push off of it. It also applies to sports, such as when a soccer player kicks a ball and the ball exerts an equal and opposite force back on the player's foot.

Does Newton's third law only apply to physical objects?

No, Newton's third law can also be applied to non-physical interactions, such as the force of gravity between two celestial bodies or the electromagnetic force between charged particles.

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