Question 9

Question

As you are walking, you foot gets caught on an uneven piece of sidewalk and you trip and fall. Which of the following explains what is happening using Newton's Laws?
a
The sidewalk pushed you, causing a rapid force that made you fall
b
The sidewalk provided a force to stop your foot, but the top of your body was still moving which is what causes you to tip over
c
Your foot hit the sidewalk and provided a force on it, so the sidewalk will provide another force back on your foot, equal in magnitude but opposite in direct
d
Your foot pushes the sidewalk with such force that it causes the next piece of sidewalk to be uprooted, which makes your next step miss your footing

Answer 1

The best explanation for what happens when you trip and fall using Newton's Laws is:

b. The sidewalk provided a force to stop your foot, but the top of your body was still moving which is what causes you to tip over.

This choice reflects the principles of inertia from Newton's First Law, which states that an object in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by an external force. When your foot gets stopped by the uneven sidewalk, your upper body, which is still moving forward, continues its motion, leading to a fall.