Consider a high-speed bus colliding head-on with an innocent bug. The force of impact splatters the unfortunate bug over the windshield. According to Newton's 3rd Law, which is greater, the force on the bug or the force on the bus?

Question

Bo Solomon

Physics

8 April, 03:10

Consider a high-speed bus colliding head-on with an innocent bug. The force of impact splatters the unfortunate bug over the windshield. According to Newton's 3rd Law, which is greater, the force on the bug or the force on the bus?

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Answers (1)

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Cujo · Answer 1

The force on the bug and the force on the bus are the same.

Explanation:

Newton's Third Law of Motion states that, "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction" or it can be restated that If a high-speed bus exerts a force on an innocent bug, then the innocent bug must exert a force of equal magnitude and opposite direction back on the high-speed bus.

Note: though the forces are equal but the effect are not, in this case the innocent bug was splattered but the bus was not destroyed.