Question detail
Which of the following best describes Newton's third law?
Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.
At a glance
MCQ
Type
practice
Style
Topic
Forces and motion
Question
- A. An object at rest stays at rest unless acted upon by a net force
- B. The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it
- C. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction
- D. The force acting on an object is equal to its mass times its acceleration
Answer
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction
Explanation
Newton's third law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, meaning forces always occur in pairs acting on different objects.
Common mistake
Misunderstanding Action-Reaction Forces
Students often think that action-reaction force pairs act on the same object, leading to confusion about how forces interact.
Remember that action-reaction forces act on different objects and are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction, as stated in Newton's third law.
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