The third law of motion states that when one object exerts a force on another, the second object instantaneously exerts a force back on the first. These forces are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction.
According to the third law of motion, what happens when one object exerts a force on another?
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According to Newton’s Third Law of Motion, when one object exerts a force on another, the second object exerts an equal but opposite force on the first object. This law is succinctly stated as “action and reaction are equal and opposite.” Essentially, for every action force, there is a reaction force of equal magnitude but in the opposite direction. This law highlights the reciprocal nature of forces, emphasizing that interactions between objects involve paired forces acting on each object. It is a foundational principle in understanding the conservation of momentum and the equilibrium of forces in physical systems.