Do weight and normal contact force always have equal and opposite effects?

AI Thread Summary
Weight and normal contact force do not always act in equal and opposite directions, as their relationship depends on the context of the object's position. When an object is on a horizontal surface, the weight force downward and the normal force upward are equal and opposite, maintaining equilibrium. However, on an inclined surface, the normal force acts perpendicular to the slope, not directly upward, requiring additional forces like friction to balance the weight. This distinction highlights the importance of understanding Newton's laws, particularly the difference between the first and third laws. Overall, the interaction of these forces varies based on the object's orientation and the forces acting upon it.
hussianm
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Do weight and normal contact force always act in equal and opposite directions?
 
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hussianm said:
Do weight and normal contact force always act in equal and opposite directions?

Welcome to the PF.

What do you think, and why? :smile:
 
berkeman said:
Welcome to the PF.

What do you think, and why? :smile:
Well I saw this question: Newton's third law tells us that... One of the options was that weight and normal contact force are always equal and opposite and the correct answer was forces always arise in pairs. The other option were wrong :p
The correct option makes perfect sense but I wanted to know why the other statement is not correct.. Is it because there is not necessarily a contact force when there is weight acting on a body?
 
If an object is sitting on a horizontal surface, like a table or a floor, then its weight is a force downward and normal force upward. Since the object is not moving, those two must be the same (and in opposite directions).

If on the other hand, an object is sitting on a slope, on a slanting surface, gravity is downward, while the normal force is NOT upward. It is "normal" to the surface. In order that the object not move down the slope, there must be a friction force, tangent to the slope. The sum of those two vectors must be equal (and opposite) to the weight force.
 
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HallsofIvy said:
If an object is sitting on a horizontal surface, like a table or a floor, then its weight is a force downward and normal force upward. Since the object is not moving, those two must be the same (and in opposite directions).

If on the other hand, an object is sitting on a slope, on a slanting surface, gravity is downward, while the normal force is NOT upward. It is "normal" to the surface. In order that the object not move down the slope, there must be a friction force, tangent to the slope. The sum of those two vectors must be equal (and opposite) to the weight force.
oh! i see. i understand now. thank you for your help
 
HallsofIvy's response was an excellent example of Newton's first law. Newton's third law tells you that if the object exerts a normal force N on the table, then the table must exert an equal normal force N on the object, in the opposite direction. This is the force pair of the normal force. It is important not to confuse his first law with his third.
 

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