Physics: Newton's Third Law of Motion

www.nablacognition.org

Newton's Third Law of Motion

In the chapter on forces, we listed the requirements that a force has to meet: It must have an originthe force must have an originator. It must have a targetthe force must be acting on something. It must have a reaction forcethe force must be paired with a reaction force of the same magnitude acting in the opposite direction (paired forces have their origin and target swapped). If I lean against a wall, I exert a force on it (I am the originator of the force. The wall is the target). The wall will exert an equally large force of the opposite direction on me (The wall is the originator. Im the target.). Paired forces arise and vanish together. The question is what is the reaction force? Lets demonstrate on an example. Task: Draw the reaction forces to the forces in the picture.

Direction of motion

In order to not make a mess of things, well be drawing the forces one at a timewell pick a force and draw the reaction to it.
Direction of motion

The drawing marks the force that we exert on the box while were pushing it to the right. (the hand isnt depicted in the drawing). Now were supposed to draw the reaction to it.

Page 1 of 5

Physics: Newton's Third Law of Motion

www.nablacognition.org

Direction of motion

The reaction force is the force that the box exerts on our hand. In magnitude, it is equal to the original force, but it acts in the opposite direction. We must understand that the box will continue moving to the right (even thought the picture might tempt us into thinking it wont be moving). You see, the force is not acting on the box (it doesnt retard its motion)it is acting on our hand. We are moving the box to the right and the box is moving us (our hand) to the left. Since were a lot heavier, however, it wont move us much. Nevertheless, we will be feeling pressure on our fingertips. Either force is acting on a different object, so the effects of the forces wont cancel each other out. A similar example is that of us pushing against a wall while wearing roller skates. We would be exerting a force on the wall, and the wall would be exerting a force of the same magnitude on us. However, since it is rather difficult to move a wall, it is more likely that the wall would be moving us. This would be made even more likely by the fact that we would be wearing roller skates, thereby be decreasing the friction force between the floor and our footwear. A reaction force to an original force is a force whose origin is the target of the original force and vice versa. It points in the opposite direction than the original force and it has the same magnitude. Newtons third law of motion follows: Two objects exert forces upon each other. Such forces are equal in magnitude and their directions are reversed (action and reaction). They arise and vanish simultaneously.

Now, lets finish the example

Page 2 of 5

Physics: Newton's Third Law of Motion

www.nablacognition.org

This is the force that the table surface exerts against the box. We draw its paired reaction force next to it.

In this case, the partner force is the weight of the box. Its not an entirely new forceit is in fact induced by the force of gravity. The Earth attracts the box to itself by a force, and that force causes the box to push by its weight against the table. As another example, lets suppose we hang on a vertical bar. The force of gravitation will be pulling us downward, and we will be exerting our weight on the bar. If we let an object fall freely, then gravitational force will act on it, but the object wont be exerting its weight upon anything.

Page 3 of 5

Physics: Newton's Third Law of Motion

www.nablacognition.org

Direction of motion

This is the friction force exerted on the box by the table surface. This force retards the motion of the object (its directed against the direction of motion).
Direction of motion

The reaction to friction is the friction force exerted by the box upon the table. This force attempts to move the table in the direction in which the box is moving. In most cases, we wont be seeing the effects of this force, as it is usually rather small and the table is usually heavy. To observe the effects of this force, we can take a smaller table, push against it with our hands, and shuffle out hands along the tabletop. If we push hard enough, thereby exerting a sufficiently large force of friction and the reaction force to it, the reaction will move the table.

Now were left with drawing the reaction force to the force of gravity

Page 4 of 5

Physics: Newton's Third Law of Motion

www.nablacognition.org

The drawing depicts a body falling towards the face of the Earth. We are observing the body from a star (The proportions are, of course, unrealistic.) The Earth is attracting the body by the force of gravity. According to Newtons 3rd law of motion, the body must be attracting the Earth with a reversed force of the same magnitude. Both the body and the Earth are therefore falling towards each other. The Earth truly does move towards falling bodies. It is, however, many times heavier than such bodies, and the distance it travels will therefore be negligibly small.

Page 5 of 5