Question about gravity and forces acted upon

[deuce123]

Homework Statement

My professor said that since gravity pushes down any object on earth, the objects themselves push up against earth. Intuitively this is difficult too grasp, can anyone give an example or anything to help me out. Thank you

 

[Arman777]

Homework Statement

My professor said that since gravity pushes down any object on earth, the objects themselves push up against earth. Intuitively this is difficult too grasp, can anyone give an example or anything to help me out. Thank you

This is Netwons's Third Law, two object exert force on each other in equal magnitudes but in opposite directions.
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Newt.html
So try to think this way and consider their masses and due to force their accelerations.You ll see that it makes sense.

 

[Austin Hook]

Homework Statement

My professor said that since gravity pushes down any object on earth, the objects themselves push up against earth. Intuitively this is difficult too grasp, can anyone give an example or anything to help me out. Thank you

I figure it would be a bit clearer if said as: "earth's gravity pulls down any object and if the object is stopped from falling because it is resting on the surface, or something else supported by the surface, that's what is pushing up against the object, with an equal and opposite force. Although perhaps he also meant, a bit counter-intuitively, that looking up from the object's point of view, since the pull of gravity goes both ways, the gravity of the object is also pulling the Earth down. In any case, I'd make a case for there being a bit of ambiguity there.

 

[haruspex]

the gravity of the object is also pulling the Earth down.

That might be a bit confusing. I guess you mean "down" from the point of view of the object's gravitational field, i.e. up towards the object in terms of normal up and down.

 

[Austin Hook]

Yes, that's what I was saying. Just speculating if there were even some unlikely ambiguity in the original statement.

 

[deuce123]

Thank you everyone!