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Newton's Third Law

Definition

Newton's Third Law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In other words, when one object exerts a force on another object, the second object exerts a force of equal magnitude but in the opposite direction on the first object.

Analogy

Imagine two friends sitting on skateboards facing each other. When one friend pushes the other friend away with a certain amount of force, they will both move backward with equal force. The harder one friend pushes, the faster they will both move away from each other.

Related terms

Action-Reaction Pair: This term refers to the two forces that are part of Newton's Third Law. One force is called the action force and the other is called the reaction force.

Momentum: Momentum is a property of moving objects and is directly related to their mass and velocity. According to Newton's Third Law, when two objects interact, their momentum changes in opposite directions but with equal magnitudes.

Conservation Laws: Conservation laws state that certain properties (such as momentum) remain constant in a closed system unless acted upon by external forces. Newton's Third Law plays a role in conservation laws by ensuring that momentum is conserved during interactions between objects.