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Chapter 3: Problem 21

What are Newton's three laws? Give an everyday example of each law.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: Newton's third law of motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In simpler terms, forces always come in pairs, and when a force is applied on an object, it applies an equal force back in the opposite direction. An everyday example is when you jump off a boat onto the shore; the force you exert on the boat (action) causes the boat to move in the opposite direction with an equal force (reaction).

Step by step solution

01

Newton's First Law: Inertia

The first law, also known as the law of inertia, states that an object at rest will stay at rest, and an object in motion will stay in motion at a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force. In simpler terms, objects tend to keep doing what they're already doing unless a force changes their state of motion.
02

Everyday Example for the First Law: A ball on a flat surface

Consider a ball lying on a flat surface. The ball will stay at rest until you apply force to it, like giving it a push or a kick. It will keep moving in a straight line with a constant velocity unless another force like air resistance or friction acts upon it.
03

Newton's Second Law: Force, Mass, and Acceleration

The second law states that the force applied to an object is directly proportional to the mass of the object and the acceleration the object undergoes. Mathematically, it is represented as: F = ma Where F is the force, m is the mass of the object, and a is the acceleration.
04

Everyday Example for the Second Law: Pushing a trolley

Imagine pushing a shopping trolley with a certain amount of force. If the trolley is empty, it accelerates easily, and if it's filled with heavy items, it takes more force to move the trolley at the same acceleration. This demonstrates that larger mass requires a greater force to generate the same acceleration as a smaller mass.
05

Newton's Third Law: Action and Reaction

The third law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In simple terms, this means that forces are always found in pairs. When you apply a force on an object, it applies an equal force back in the opposite direction.
06

Everyday Example for the Third Law: Jumping off a boat

When you jump off a boat onto the shore, the force you exert on the boat is the action, and the force the boat exerts on you is the reaction. As a result, the boat moves in the opposite direction as you, albeit with less acceleration due to its greater mass. This demonstrates that forces always come in pairs, and the forces are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Which planets can never be seen at opposition? Which planets can never be seen at inferior conjunction? Explain your answers.

Give the word or phrase that corresponds to the following standard abbreviations: (a) \(\mathrm{km},(\mathrm{b}) \mathrm{cm},(\mathrm{c}) \mathrm{s},(\mathrm{d}) \mathrm{km} / \mathrm{s},(\mathrm{e}) \mathrm{mi} / \mathrm{h},(\mathrm{f}) \mathrm{m},(\mathrm{g}) \mathrm{m} / \mathrm{s}\) (h) \(\mathrm{h},\) (i) \(\mathrm{ly},\) (i) \(\mathrm{g},\) (k) kg. Which of these are units of speed? (Hint: You may have to refer to a dictionary. All of these abbreviations should be part of your working vocabulary.)

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