A sledgehammer is swung at a wall. Once the sledgehammer hits the wall it does not breakthrough. How do the hammer and the wall act on each other?

Question

a. The hammer and the wall exert forces on each other that are equal in magnitude and in the same direction
b. The hammer and the wall exert forces on each other that are equal in magnitude but in opposite directions
c. The hammer exerts a stronger force than the wall but in the opposite direction
d. The hammer exerts a stronger force than the wall but in the same direction.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

b. The hammer and the wall exert forces on each other that are equal in magnitude but in opposite directions.

This scenario is an illustration of Newton's Third Law of Motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When the sledgehammer strikes the wall, it exerts a force on the wall, and in response, the wall exerts an equal force back on the hammer in the opposite direction.