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Chapter 4: Problem 17

If the forces that two interacting objects exert on each other are always exactly equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, how is it possible for an object to accelerate?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Explain your answer based on Newton's laws of motion. Answer: Yes, an object can accelerate even though the action and reaction forces are equal and opposite. This is because these forces act on different objects, and each object experiences a net force that can cause it to accelerate, as dictated by Newton's Second Law of Motion (F = ma).

Step by step solution

01

Understand Newton's Third Law

Newton's Third Law of Motion states that for every action force, there is an equal and opposite reaction force. This means that when two objects interact, the forces they exert on each other are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction.
02

Consider the forces acting on different objects

Although the forces between the two objects are equal and opposite, these forces act on different objects. The acceleration of an object depends on the net force acting on it, not the forces acting on other objects.
03

Apply Newton's Second Law

According to Newton's Second Law of Motion, the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. Mathematically, it is represented as F = ma, where F is the net force acting on the object, m is the mass of the object, and a is the acceleration it experiences.
04

Recognize that net force causes acceleration

If there is a net force acting on an object, that object will experience an acceleration as dictated by Newton's Second Law. Even though the action and reaction forces are equal and opposite, they act on different objects, and each object experiences a net force that can cause it to accelerate. So, in conclusion, it is possible for an object to accelerate due to the fact that the action and reaction forces act on different objects and each object experiences a net force that can cause it to accelerate.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

An elevator cabin has a mass of \(358.1 \mathrm{~kg}\), and the combined mass of the people inside the cabin is \(169.2 \mathrm{~kg} .\) The cabin is pulled upward by a cable, with a constant acceleration of \(4.11 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}^{2}\). What is the tension in the cable?

A box of books is initially at rest a distance \(D=0.540 \mathrm{~m}\) from the end of a wooden board. The coefficient of static friction between the box and the board is \(\mu_{s}=0.320\), and the coefficient of kinetic friction is \(\mu_{k}=0.250 .\) The angle of the board is increased slowly, until the box just begins to slide; then the board is held at this angle. Find the speed of the box as it reaches the end of the board. -4.55 A block of mass \(M_{1}=0.640 \mathrm{~kg}\) is initially at rest on a cart of mass \(M_{2}=0.320 \mathrm{~kg}\) with the cart initially at rest on a level air track. The coefficient of static friction between the block and the cart is \(\mu_{s}=0.620\), but there is essentially no friction between the air track and the cart. The cart is accelerated by a force of magnitude \(F\) parallel to the air track. Find the maximum value of \(F\) that allows the block to accelerate with the cart, without sliding on top of the cart.

Which of the following observations about the friction force is (are) incorrect? a) The magnitude of the kinetic friction force is always proportional to the normal force b) The magnitude of the static friction force is always proportional to the normal force. c) The magnitude of the static friction force is always proportional to the external applied force. d) The direction of the kinetic friction force is always opposite the direction of the relative motion of the object writh respect to the surface the object moves on. e) The direction of the static friction force is always opposite that of the impending motion of the object relative to the surface it rests on f) All of the above are correct.

A crane of mass \(M=1.00 \cdot 10^{4} \mathrm{~kg}\) lifts a wrecking ball of mass \(m=1200 .\) kg directly upward. a) Find the magnitude of the normal force exerted on the crane by the ground while the wrecking ball is moving upward at a constant speed of \(v=1.00 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}\). b) Find the magnitude of the normal force if the wrecking ball's upward motion slows at a constant rate from its initial speed \(v=1.00 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}\) to a stop over a distance \(D=0.250 \mathrm{~m}\)

A car without ABS (antilock brake system) was moving at \(15.0 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}\) when the driver hit the brake to make a sudden stop. The coefficients of static and kinetic friction between the tires and the road are 0.550 and 0.430 , respectively. a) What was the acceleration of the car during the interval between braking and stopping? b) How far did the car travel before it stopped?
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