

As the wheels spin, they grip the road and push the road backwards. Action-reaction force pairs make it possible for birds to fly.Ĭonsider the motion of a car on the way to school. For every action, there is an equal (in size) and opposite (in direction) reaction. The size of the force on the air equals the size of the force on the bird the direction of the force on the air (downwards) is opposite the direction of the force on the bird (upwards). Since forces result from mutual interactions, the air must also be pushing the bird upwards. Action-reaction force pairs make it possible for fish to swim.Ĭonsider the flying motion of birds. For every action, there is an equal (in size) and opposite (in direction) reaction force. The size of the force on the water equals the size of the force on the fish the direction of the force on the water (backwards) is opposite the direction of the force on the fish (forwards). Since forces result from mutual interactions, the water must also be pushing the fish forwards, propelling the fish through the water.

But a push on the water will only serve to accelerate the water. A fish uses its fins to push water backwards. Consider the propulsion of a fish through the water. Forces always come in pairs - equal and opposite action-reaction force pairs.Ī variety of action-reaction force pairs are evident in nature.

The direction of the force on the first object is opposite to the direction of the force on the second object. The size of the forces on the first object equals the size of the force on the second object. The statement means that in every interaction, there is a pair of forces acting on the two interacting objects. Formally stated, Newton's third law is: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. These two forces are called action and reaction forces and are the subject of Newton's third law of motion. There are two forces resulting from this interaction - a force on the chair and a force on your body. When you sit in your chair, your body exerts a downward force on the chair and the chair exerts an upward force on your body. According to Newton, whenever objects A and B interact with each other, they exert forces upon each other. Forces result from interactions! As discussed in Lesson 2, some forces result from contact interactions (normal, frictional, tensional, and applied forces are examples of contact forces) and other forces are the result of action-at-a-distance interactions (gravitational, electrical, and magnetic forces). A force is a push or a pull that acts upon an object as a results of its interaction with another object.
