- #1
ecoo
- 86
- 2
Hey guys, I have some confusion with Newton's Third Law. I understand that, for example, if I push against a wall the wall feels my force and the wall puts an equal force onto me.
One confusion comes from the horse cart problem, or any motion problem that uncludes one object pushing another.
In the horse cart problem, I see how when the horse puts a force into the ground the ground puts a force onto the horse. The force acting on the horse also puts a force onto the carriage, so I can see how the cart goes forward (I look only at the forces acting on the cart). But the carriage puts a force onto the horse, which cancels out the horses' force onto the ground.
The way that i get past this I think that as the carriage goes forwards it isn't applying the equal force onto the horse, and the horse which was initially slowed down a bit then goes forward to catch up to the carriage. Once the horse "catches up", then the horse applies a force onto the carriage which pushes the horse back a tiny bit and the cycle repeats, so in a way the horse and cart are in a way bouncing off each other. Now this bouncing effect would be tiny, since the force that the carriage acts onto the horse is only acted for a tiny duration.
I'm making a mistake somewhere, could you guys explain the horse cart scenario?
Thanks!
One confusion comes from the horse cart problem, or any motion problem that uncludes one object pushing another.
In the horse cart problem, I see how when the horse puts a force into the ground the ground puts a force onto the horse. The force acting on the horse also puts a force onto the carriage, so I can see how the cart goes forward (I look only at the forces acting on the cart). But the carriage puts a force onto the horse, which cancels out the horses' force onto the ground.
The way that i get past this I think that as the carriage goes forwards it isn't applying the equal force onto the horse, and the horse which was initially slowed down a bit then goes forward to catch up to the carriage. Once the horse "catches up", then the horse applies a force onto the carriage which pushes the horse back a tiny bit and the cycle repeats, so in a way the horse and cart are in a way bouncing off each other. Now this bouncing effect would be tiny, since the force that the carriage acts onto the horse is only acted for a tiny duration.
I'm making a mistake somewhere, could you guys explain the horse cart scenario?
Thanks!