Football player #29 is tackled on the field by player #5. Identify the action force and the reaction force in this tackle.

Question

Football player #5’s push against player #29 is a reaction force. Player #29’s push back against player #5 is an action force.
The forces produced by both players are reaction forces.
The forces produced by both players are action forces.
Football player #5 exerts an action force against player #29. Player #29’s force is a reaction force against player #5.

Answer 1

In this scenario, the correct identification of the action and reaction forces is:

Football player #5 exerts an action force against player #29. Player #29’s force is a reaction force against player #5.

According to Newton's third law of motion, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Therefore, when player #5 tackles player #29, the force exerted by player #5 is the action force, and the force exerted by player #29 in response is the reaction force.