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Re: Newton's 3rd Law



tells you that really there are no forces. There are _interactions_
between particles and every interaction necessarily involves a _pair_
of forces -- each particle interacts with the other one. It is just a
way of saying that in an interaction, neither particle is priviledged
in any way.

I like this explanation, too. I try to get students to comprehend that there
is an INTERaction (inter--between, among) and both objects are involved.

Or try Eric Rogers' quote at the beginning of the chapter on Newton's Third
Law from PHYSICS FOR THE INQUIRING MIND: "You don't dim your headlights,
I don't dim mine!" (Action-reaction).

Van

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Van E. Neie ven@physics.purdue.edu
Purdue University
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