A very smart 3-year-old child is given a wagon for her birthday. She refuses to use it. "After all," she says, "Newton's third law says that no matter how hard I pull, the wagon will exert an equal but opposite force on me. So I will never be able to get it to move forward." What would you say to her in reply?

Question

Nash Armstrong

Physics

9 July, 14:28

A very smart 3-year-old child is given a wagon for her birthday. She refuses to use it. "After all," she says, "Newton's third law says that no matter how hard I pull, the wagon will exert an equal but opposite force on me. So I will never be able to get it to move forward." What would you say to her in reply?

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Kelsey Davidson · Answer 1

She's correct but doesn't mean the wagon cannot put into motion. The force that she applied on the wagon, according to Newton's 2nd law, would have generated an acceleration, which translates into motion. The reaction force the wagon applies on her due to Newton's 3rd law, would not hinder its own motion.