Question

a strong magnet attracts a paper clip to itself with a certain force. Does the paper clip exert a force on the strong magnet? If so, why not? If so, does it exert as much force on the magnet as the magnet exerts on it?


Newtons Third Law: Forces are always in pairs.


The forces they exert on each other are equal and opposite. That is an example of Newton's third law.

Answer 1

Yes, the paper clip exerts a force on the strong magnet. According to Newton's third law, whenever an object exerts a force on another object, the second object exerts an equal and opposite force on the first object. In this case, as the strong magnet attracts the paper clip with a certain force, the paper clip also exerts an equal and opposite force on the magnet. This is why both the paper clip and the magnet move towards each other until they attach.