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United StatesPhysicsQuick questions
Unit 2: Force and Translational Dynamics
Quick questions on Newton's third law - AP Physics 1 Unit 2
3short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
how does anything ever accelerate?Show answer
The answer is that the two forces are on different bodies. When you push a cart, you exert a forward force on the cart (which accelerates the cart) while the cart exerts an equal backward force on you (which acts on you, not the cart). The cart accelerates because of the only third-law-relevant force acting on it, namely your push.
What is q1?Show answer
A swimmer pushes water backward to move forward. Identify the force that propels the swimmer. [2 points]
What is q2?Show answer
State whether the gravitational force the Earth exerts on the Moon equals the force the Moon exerts on the Earth. [1 point]
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