Action and reaction forces are always ___________________.
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Solution
The basic crux of Newton's third law of motion follows that “action and reaction forces are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction”.
Consider an example of a wall on which we are applying a horizontal force.
The horizontal force applied on the wall will be the “action force”.
The wall in turn exerts an equal but opposite force on us which is called “reaction force”.
On the application of action force on the wall, neither the wall moves in the direction of the action force nor do we move in the direction of reaction force.
If the wall had moved in the direction of the action force, it would have indicated that the action force is more than the reaction force.
If we were pushed back by the wall on the application of action force, it would have indicated that the reaction force is more than the action force.
Since the wall and our body does not move on the application of action and reaction forces, it confirms that the action and reaction forces are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction.
Below is the diagram showing the direction of action and reaction force in the case of a wall on which a horizontal force is applied.
Hence, action and reaction forces are always equal in magnitude but opposite in direction.
