Science.6.7.C
The student is expected to identify simultaneous force pairs that are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction that result from the interactions between objects using Newton's Third Law of Motion.
Knowledge and Skills Statement
Force, motion, and energy. The student knows the nature of forces and their role in systems that experience stability or change.
Further Explanation
If object A and object B interact (collide), then object A will exert a force on object B and object B will exert an opposing force on object A, but in the opposite direction.
For example, the force of the weight of an object on a table creates the simultaneous force of the table pushing up on the object; this is called the normal force. When a collision occurs between two objects, they each simultaneously exert an equal and opposite force on each other.
One common misconception is that Newton's third law describes a cause-and-effect relationship (action leads to reaction). Another misconception is that the force pair acts on the same object. The force pair describes the forces that occur simultaneously as a result of an interaction between two objects.
Supporting Information
Research
Bobrowsky, Matt. “SCIENCE 101: Q: What’s Wrong With ‘For Every Action, There Is an Equal and Opposite Reaction’?” Science and Children 56, no. 7 (2019): 69–73. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26901433.
Summary: This article details Newton's Third Law, explaining that forces come in pairs. Multiple examples are provided to illustrate the concept, and common misconceptions are addressed through simple activities.