Nov28

Science Experiment: Newton’s Third Law of Motion

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Science Experiment: Newton’s Third Law of Motion

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Newton’s Third Law of Motion: For every action there is an equal and opposite re-action.

SIMPLY: If you push an object, that object pushes back in the opposite direction equally hard.

In this video, an astronomer demonstrates Newton’s Third Law of Motion:

Here are some websites to help you demonstrate and learn about Newton’s 3rd Law:

Gizmos and Gadgets – Action-Reaction Rocket (Pages 18-26)

Here are some books that will help you do some reseach for your experiment if you are doing it for the science fair.
Giants of Science: Isaac Newton Many Ways to Move Gizmos and Gadgets What are Newton's Laws of Motion?

Words to Know:

Newton’s Third Law of Motion – For every action there is an equal and opposite re-action.

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46 Responses »

  39. @fcowey I checked with a recent Physics graduate from Wabash College in Crawfordsville Indiana and he did agree with you that Newton’s Cradle is not technicalled a great example for Newton’s Third Law and I have removed that one as an example. He also suggestion another video from Wonderhowto.com to help understand Newton’s Third Law. http://teaching.wonderhowto.com/how-to/demonstrate-newtons-third-law-motion-223910/
    He thought that Newton’s Cradle “shows a concept called “conservation of momentum” because the momentum of the first ball is transferred to the momentum of the last ball.When you have two balls, you have twice as much momentum coming in, so this momentum has to be transferred to two balls on the other side of the cradle instead of one.” Thanks for your comment!

  40. I’m not on board about the N.cradle representing the 3d law. The ball at the end is moving in the SAME direction as the original ball: I see no opposite FORCE, only its location at the opposite end of balls. The 3d law is operating at the point where the first ball strikes the second ball: a force applied from ball 1 onto ball 2, is met with an equal REACTION force from ball 2 onto ball 1.
    The rocket demos, both real & toy do the following: the rocket/bottle exerts a pressure force on the expanding gases, pushing them out the rear, while the gases exert an equal return/reaction force IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION on the rocket.
    Paired action-reaction forces occur between two objects/masses exerting mutual forces on each other.

  43. Do you have example of balls in motion that revolve around each other, like planets in orbit?

  46. HHHHHHHAaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyy 😀 this is an awsome site even tho i didnt even read anythinnnggggggg 🙂

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