Introduction
Newton's Third Law says that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. This means that if I push on the wall with 30N of force, the wall must push back on me, in the exact opposite direction, with exactly 30N. We call these two forces Force Pairs. We identify force pairs with a Free-body Diagram, which is one of the most important tools for solving many force problems.
Newton's laws
Key Terms
Text/Videos
Here is a concise definition of Newton's Third Law;
This a comprehensive introduction to Newton's third law. This online textbook discusses Newton's third law with diagrams, worked problem examples, and interactive conceptual questions. All notation in this text is consistent with KC's.
Simulations
This first interactive game will challenge you with a few questions after a bout of Third Law tug-of-war with a cart;
Newton's Laws Of Motion (3): Action And Reaction
Additional Studying/Review
- Recall the PhyClips page on Newton's Laws as previously mentioned in the content section of Newton's 1st Law
- Here is a link like to a site with a quick explanation and few problems for you to see how well you get Newton's 3rd Law; EasyPhysics Newton's Third Law
- This page on PhysClips discusses many aspects of Newton's Law and most importantly to you the limitations of the Laws.