NEWTON'S THIRD LAW: ACTION AND REACTION
1 mark · EasyA cat jumps down from a chair to the floor. According to Newton’s third law, what does the floor do to the cat as it lands?
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The floor pushes up on the cat with an equal and opposite force.
Also accept: The floor exerts an equal and opposite force upwards on the cat.
Common mistakes: The cat pushes downward only.; Forgetting the floor acts on the cat as well.
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Marking points
B1 · 1 mark · States the floor pushes up on the cat with an equal and opposite force (or equivalent).
Worked solution
When the cat lands, it pushes down on the floor (action), and the floor pushes up on the cat with an equal and opposite force (reaction).