Newton's III law (action/reaction) question

[soicuw]

Homework Statement

This question has three parts, and i think i have a and b down.

a) Describe the action/reaction of a tennis ball hitting a racket:

b) Are the magnitudes of the forces equal?

c)Why don't the forces cancel each other out upon contact?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

a)I said the ball pushes against the racket, the racket pushes against the ball
b)Yes.
c)HERE IS WHERE I'm CONFUSED: My guess is because of inertia, but I'm not really sure what inertia is exactly, could someone tell me if I'm correct?

 

[SammyS]

Homework Statement

This question has three parts, and i think i have a and b down.

a) Describe the action/reaction of a tennis ball hitting a racket:

b) Are the magnitudes of the forces equal?

c)Why don't the forces cancel each other out upon contact?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

a)I said the ball pushes against the racket, the racket pushes against the ball
b)Yes.
c)HERE IS WHERE I'm CONFUSED: My guess is because of inertia, but I'm not really sure what inertia is exactly, could someone tell me if I'm correct?

Each of the forces is exerted on a different object.

 

[nikhil khatri]

a)the ball pushes the racket & vice versa.
b)yes.
c)since the two force do not act on same object they do not cancel each other.

 

[soicuw]

Oh yeah that makes sense, thanks physics geniuses!