Question
Part 3: Visualizing Forces 5. Force Diagram: Draw and label the action and reaction force pairs in the following scenarios: a) A ball is dropped and hits the ground. b) A person jumps off a boat onto the shore.
Solution
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Zane
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Answer
**5. Force Diagram:****a) A ball dropped and hits the ground:*** **Action:** Earth exerts a downward gravitational force on the ball (Weight - Fg). This force pulls the ball towards the center of the Earth.* **Reaction:** The ball exerts an upward force on the Earth (Fg'). This force is equal in magnitude to the weight of the ball but acts in the opposite direction, pulling the Earth towards the ball. Since the Earth is so massive, this upward force has a negligible effect.[Diagram: Show the ball with a downward arrow labeled Fg (Weight) and the Earth (represented as a flat surface or a circle) with a smaller upward arrow labeled Fg'. ]**b) A person jumps off a boat onto the shore:*** **Action:** The person exerts a backward horizontal force on the boat (Fpb). This force pushes the boat away from the shore.* **Reaction:** The boat exerts a forward horizontal force on the person (Fbp). This force propels the person towards the shore.[Diagram: Show the person with a rightward arrow (assuming they are jumping to the right) labeled Fbp and the boat with a leftward arrow labeled Fpb. The arrows should be equal in length.]**Important Note about Newton's Third Law:** Action-reaction pairs *always* act on *different* objects. They are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.