Examples of Action-Reaction Forces
Nature has a wide range of action-reaction pairings. Following are some examples listed below,
- An example of an action-reaction pair is the movement of a fish through water. A fish’s fins are used to push water backward. This push serves to propel the fish ahead. The magnitude of the force on the water equals the magnitude of the force on the fish; the magnitude of the force on the water (backward) is opposite to the magnitude of the force on the fish (forwards).
- The bird’s flight is an example of an action-reaction pair. The air is pushed downward by the bird’s wings. The bird is pushed higher by the air.
- A swimmer pushes up against the water, and the water pushes him back.
- Helicopters generate lift by forcing the air downward, resulting in an upward reaction force.
- Climbers use their vertical rope to propel themselves upwards.
- While walking on the ground, a person exerts a force on the ground in a backward direction with his feet (action force) and according to Newton’s third law of motion, the ground exerts an opposite and equal force in the forward direction as a reaction force, and so we can walk on the ground or on floor.
Newton’s Third Law of Motion
Newton’s Third Law of Motion states that a given pair of bodies every action has equal and opposite reaction. Newton’s Third Law of Motion is one of the basic laws of physics and is very useful in various aspects. Newton’s Third Law represents a specific symmetry in the nature of forces and explains how they always exist in pairs, and one body cannot exert a force on another without also experiencing a force.
It is one of three laws of motion given by Sir Isaac Newton. Newton’s third law of motion highlights a fundamental principle of symmetry in nature. It tells us that forces are always part of a mutual exchange: when one body exerts a force on another, it inevitably experiences an equal and opposite force in return. In simpler terms, you can’t push or pull something without that something pushing or pulling back on you with the same strength but in the opposite direction.
In this article, we will learn about Newton’s third law of motion, its definition, formula, derivation, and examples of third law of motion.
Table of Content
- What is Newton’s Third Law of Motion
- Explanation of Newton’s Third Law of Motion
- Newton’s Third Law of Motion Formula
- Examples of Action-Reaction Forces
- Newton’s Third Law of Motion Examples
- Applications of Newton’s Third Law of Motion