An object of mass m rests on a flat table - NSC Technical Sciences - Question 1 - 2020 - Paper 1
Question 1
An object of mass m rests on a flat table. The Earth pulls this object with force mg, which is known as the action force. Which ONE of the following statements gives... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:An object of mass m rests on a flat table - NSC Technical Sciences - Question 1 - 2020 - Paper 1
Step 1
The table is pushing the object up with force mg.
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Answer
This statement correctly identifies the reaction force as per Newton's third law of motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Hence, the table exerts an upward force on the object equal to mg.
Step 2
The object is pushing the table down with force mg.
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Answer
This statement highlights the action and is also true, but does not describe the reaction force from the table to the object.
Step 3
The table is pushing the floor down with force mg.
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Answer
This statement refers to a different action-reaction pair and does not address the specific interaction between the table and the object.
Step 4
The object is pulling the Earth upward with force mg.
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Answer
This is again a true statement under Newton's third law; however, it does not best describe the reaction force relevant to the context.
