If there's a book resting a a table, (Newton's third law concept)

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the forces acting on a book resting on a table, specifically the normal force and the weight of the book. It is clarified that the normal force is exerted by the table, not the book, which leads to a disagreement with the initial statement that they form a third law force pair. The participants emphasize that these forces act on the same object, while the reaction force of the book's weight acts on the Earth. Additionally, the impact of an inclined table on the normal force is questioned, suggesting that it may not equal the weight of the book in such a scenario. Overall, the conversation highlights the distinction between action-reaction pairs and forces acting on a single body.
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Homework Statement


would you say that "the two forces exerted on the book ar ethe normal force directed up and the weight of the book directed down. These are equal and opposite to one another. By Newton's third law they are a third law force pair, so the normal force is always equal to the weight of the book."


The Attempt at a Solution



I said disagree, since the normal force is exerted by the table, not the book, and the rest of the concept seems right.

right?

thanks
 
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You are correct to disagree. What if the table were inclined? Would the normal force on the book equal the weight mg?
 
Last edited:
"They are a third law force pair"
They're not...
both forces exerted on the same body, the reaction force of mg(aka weight) is the force the body exerts on Earth.
 
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