what is newtons 3rd law

5 hours ago 2
Nature

Newton's Third Law of Motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This means that if one object exerts a force on a second object, the second object simultaneously exerts a force of equal magnitude but in the opposite direction on the first object

. Key points about Newton's Third Law include:

  • Forces always come in pairs: one is the action force, and the other is the reaction force.
  • These forces act on different objects, so they do not cancel each other out.
  • The law explains many everyday phenomena, such as a swimmer pushing off a pool wall or a rocket launching by expelling exhaust gases downward while moving upward
  • It is closely related to the conservation of momentum principle in physics

In summary, Newton's Third Law highlights the mutual interactions between objects, emphasizing that forces are reciprocal and equal in strength but opposite in direction