If you jump into the air, are your legs pushing you away from the earth or pushing the earth away from you?

Question

Hassan Faulkner

Physics

3 May, 02:27

If you jump into the air, are your legs pushing you away from the earth or pushing the earth away from you?

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Answers (1)

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Cutie · Answer 1

When one jumps, he/she exerts a force on the surface. According to third law of Newton, for every action, there is equal magnitude and opposite reaction. Thus, when the force is applied on the surface on the Earth, the Earth to exerts a force which makes the person to lift up. Since, the Earth is very very large as compared to the person, there is almost zero deformation for Earth.

Thus, when we jump, our legs push the Earth from us.