Which of the following would be an example of Newton's Third Law forces?

Question

a
A horse pulling a horse cart
b
A hammer striking a nail
c
A soccer ball bouncing off a wall
d
All of the above
Question 23
Two rockets are being tested. Both rockets have the same mass. One rocket accelerates at a higher rate than another rocket. What could be true about the difference between the rockets?

a
One rocket has more fuel than the other
b
One rocket is more streamlined than the other
c
One rocket engine produces more force than the other
d
One rocket is more badly designed than the other

Answer 1

For the first question regarding Newton's Third Law, the correct answer is:

d: All of the above. Newton's Third Law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In each of the examples given:

• A horse pulling a horse cart involves the horse exerting a force on the cart and the cart exerting an equal and opposite force on the horse.
• A hammer striking a nail involves the hammer exerting a force on the nail while the nail exerts an equal and opposite force on the hammer.
• A soccer ball bouncing off a wall involves the ball exerting a force on the wall and the wall exerting an equal and opposite force on the ball.

For the second question regarding the rockets, the correct answer is:

c: One rocket engine produces more force than the other. According to Newton's second law of motion (F=ma), if both rockets have the same mass and one accelerates at a higher rate, it must produce a greater net force. The differences in fuel, streamlining, and design may also play a role, but the fundamental reason for the different acceleration is the difference in force produced by the engines.