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Question 309 of 367 in Forces and Motion

NEWTON'S THIRD LAW: ACTION AND REACTION

2 marks · Easy

A student uses a broom to push a box across the floor. Use Newton's third law to explain what happens to the broom and the box as the broom applies a force.

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Also accept: The box pushes back on the broom with an equal and opposite force.; When the student pushes the box with the broom, the box applies an equal and opposite force back on the broom.

Common mistakes: Only mentioning the broom pushes the box, not stating the reaction.; Saying the box "does nothing".

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Marking points

M1 · 1 mark · States the broom pushes the box (action force).

M2 · 1 mark · States the box pushes back on the broom with an equal and opposite force (reaction force), or explicitly references Newton's third law.

Worked solution

When the broom pushes on the box (action), the box pushes back on the broom with an equal and opposite force (reaction), according to Newton's third law.

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