Pushing a Wagon: The Newton's Third Law of Motion
What happens when you apply force to a wagon?
When you push a wagon, what will happen next?
A. The wagon does not move because the wagon applies more force to you than you apply to the wagon.
B. The wagon moves because you apply more friction to the ground.
C. The wagon does not move because the force you apply to the wagon is equal to the force it applies to you.
D. The wagon moves because you apply more force to the wagon than it applies to you.
Answer:
The correct answer is D. The wagon moves because you apply more force to the wagon than it applies to you.
When you push a wagon, according to Newton's third law of motion, you will experience an equal and opposite force from the wagon. However, the wagon moves despite this equal force because the force you exert on it is actually larger than the force it exerts on you.
This is due to the concept of force, which is the product of mass and acceleration. Since the wagon is heavier than you, it requires more energy to accelerate. As a result, you can apply more force when pushing the wagon since you are lighter and can accelerate more easily.
By understanding this principle, you can see how Newton's third law of motion governs the interaction between the wagon and the force applied to it. It's fascinating to see how even seemingly simple actions like pushing a wagon can be explained by fundamental laws of physics.