Newtons Third Law
Newtons Third Law
com/Teacher-Toolkits
Teacher Toolkit
Topic:
Newton's Third Law
Objectives:
1. To state Newton's third law of motion and relate its meaning to the concept of a force as
a mutual interaction between objects.
2. To relate Newton's third law of motion to the definition of a force.
3. To use Newton's third law of motion to make a comparison of the magnitude of the
individual forces in any interaction.
4. To identify the action-reaction force pairs for any physical interaction.
Readings:
The Physics Classroom Tutorial, Newton's Laws of Motion Chapter, Lesson 4
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/newtlaws/Lesson-4/Newton-s-Third-Law
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6 SERC Direct Measurement Video: Cart Push-Off Set of Video Clips
https://serc.carleton.edu/sp/library/dmvideos/videos/cart_push.html
This set of 3 short video clips, appropriate for
video analysis, shows students on low friction
carts. Initially stationary, they push off each
other, sending each cart moving in opposite
directions. By measuring the speed of each
cart after push-off, learners can calculate the
momentum of each cart and system
momentum. The three scenarios presented are:
1) Two students of similar mass, 2) Two
students on one cart, one student on the other cart, and 3) Two students of different
masses.
©The Physics Classroom, All Rights Reserved This document should NOT appear on other websites.
Labs and Investigations:
1. Modeling Instruction Program: Inertia and Newton’s Third Law Instructional Unit
http://modeling.asu.edu/Modeling-pub/Mechanics_curriculum/4-FP-inertia/01_U4%20Teachernotes.pdf
This teacher’s guide from Arizona State University
explains how to introduce the modeling cycle to teach
about Newton’s First and Third Laws. To quote the
author, “The great majority of university students can
state Newton’s Laws, but careful evaluation reveals that
even at the end of the course they cannot consistently
apply the laws correctly.” One particularly stubborn
error in reasoning is that in interactions between two
objects, the larger or more active object exerts the greater force. This lesson module
seeks to help students transition from a descriptive model using kinematics to a causal
model using dynamical laws of motion. Contains procedures for 2 classroom demos,
one lab, and 4 class investigations.
Demonstration Ideas:
1. ScienceFix: Newton’s Third Law – Sled Launch 1-minute Video Demonstration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4j5bcaV2Ws
Simple, but effective demo to illustrate
action/reaction in a tabletop sled system. The author
uses microbeads to create a very low-friction surface
to mimic an idealized system. When a rubber band
under tension is cut, the sled is launched. Both the
sled and the launch mechanism exert equal but
opposite force on the other, which is well-illustrated
in the video.
©The Physics Classroom, All Rights Reserved This document should NOT appear on other websites.
2. The Physics Classroom's Third Law on YouTube 10-second Demonstration
http://youtu.be/1-Es7v8J06o
This simple slow-mo video demonstration from
The Physics Classroom displays two carts on a
track. The carts are equipped with force probes
and a spring connects the two force probes. The
force probe on the left cart is measuring the force
of right cart pulling on it (though the force is
actually transmitted to the cart by the spring). The
force probe on the right cart is measuring the force
of the left cart pulling upon it. The video displays
the readings from the force probes in real time. One quickly realizes from the graphical
display that the forces on the two carts are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.
With similar equipment, any teacher could easily repeat the demo live in front of their
students.
©The Physics Classroom, All Rights Reserved This document should NOT appear on other websites.
Common Misconceptions
1. First Action, Then Reaction
Newton's third law essentially defines a force as a push or pull that an object experiences
as a result of its interaction with another objects. That is, forces are the result of mutual
and simultaneous interactions between two objects. The common misconception is to
conceive of Newton's third law as though one object pushes upon another object, and as
a result, some short time later, the other object pushes back. The phrase action and
reaction force pairs might best be replaced by the phrase interaction force pairs.
2. The Force Values are Different for Different Objects
The forces that act between objects during an interaction are equal in magnitude on the
two interacting objects. There are a variety of misconceptions associated with the
magnitude of the two forces. One misconception is that the force is greatest on the least
massive object. A second misconception is that the force is greater on any object that
begins at rest and is hit by a moving object. The law is clear: the magnitude of the forces
are equal. While the accelerations that result from the forces may be different, the force
values are the same.
3. Action-Reaction Forces Balance Each Other
The third law states that the individual forces experienced by interacting objects is equal
in magnitude and opposite in direction. For some students, this language of equal and
opposite leaves the impression that they will balance each other out. But the forces of
the interaction act upon different objects. When we consider whether or not two forces
will balance one another, we consider the forces that act upon a single object. Thus, the
interaction forces could never balance one another since they act on opposing objects.
Standards:
A. Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
Performance Expectations – Motion and Stability
• Middle School: MS-PS2-1 – Apply Newton’s Third Law to design a solution to a
problem involving the motion of two colliding objects.
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• Grades 9-12: Use a model based on evidence to illustrate the relationships between
systems or between components of a system.
©The Physics Classroom, All Rights Reserved This document should NOT appear on other websites.