Conceptual Physics, 12e (Hewitt)
Chapter 5 Newton’s Third Law of Motion: Action and Reaction
5.1 Multiple-Choice Questions
1) To say there is no such thing as only one force means
A) there must also be a corresponding reaction force.
B) other forces, perhaps not evident, are there.
C) gibberish.
Answer: A
Diff: 1
Topic: Forces and Interactions
2) You cannot exert a force on a wall
A) if the wall resists.
B) unless you put your mind to it.
C) unless the wall simultaneously exerts the same amount of force on you.
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Topic: Forces and Interactions
3) When you rub your hands together, you
A) can push harder on one hand than the other.
B) cannot push harder on one hand than the other.
C) need more information
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: Forces and Interactions
4) When you drop a rubber ball on the floor it bounces back. The force exerted on the ball to
produce bouncing is by the
A) ball.
B) floor.
C) need more information
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: Forces and Interactions
5) As a ball bounces from a floor, its acceleration off the floor between bounces is
A) significantly less than g.
B) g.
C) slightly more than g.
D) significantly more than g.
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: Forces and Interactions
1
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
6) When a boxer hits a punching bag, the strength of his punch depends on how much force the
bag can
A) endure.
B) exert on the boxer’s fist.
C) soften.
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: Forces and Interactions
7) Your friend says that the heavyweight champion of the world cannot exert a force of 50 N on
an isolated piece of tissue paper with his best punch. You
A) agree that it can’t be done.
B) have reservations about this assertion.
C) disagree, for a good punch easily delivers this much force.
Answer: A
Diff: 2
Topic: Forces and Interactions
8) One end of a rope is pulled with 100 N, while the opposite end also is pulled with 100 N. The
tension in the rope is
A) 0 N.
B) 50 N.
C) 100 N.
D) 200 N.
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Topic: Forces and Interactions
9) A piece of rope is pulled by two people in a tug-of-war. Each exerts a 400-N force. What is the
tension in the rope?
A) zero
B) 400 N
C) 600 N
D) 800 N
E) none of the above
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Topic: Forces and Interactions
10) The winner in a tug-of-war exerts the greatest force on
A) the opponent.
B) his or her end of the rope.
C) the ground.
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Topic: Forces and Interactions
2
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
11) Arnold Strongman and Suzie Small each pull very hard on opposite ends of a rope in a
tug-of-war. The greater force on the rope is exerted by
A) Arnold, of course.
B) Suzie, surprisingly.
C) both the same, interestingly.
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Topic: Forces and Interactions
12) When a skateboarder pushes on a wall,
A) an interaction occurs between the skateboarder and the wall.
B) the wall pushes on the skateboarder.
C) such a push couldn’t happen unless the wall pushed on the skateboarder.
D) all the above
E) none of the above
Answer: D
Diff: 2
Topic: Forces and Interactions
13) A pair of action-reaction forces always
A) act on the same object.
B) occur simultaneously.
C) comprise a pair of interactions.
D) all of the above
E) none of the above
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: Newton’s Third Law of Motion
14) A fast-moving missile soaring overhead possesses
A) speed.
B) force.
C) both of these
D) neither of these
Answer: A
Diff: 1
Topic: Newton’s Third Law of Motion
15) When you walk, you push on the floor to the left and the floor
A) also pushes on you to the left.
B) pushes you to the right.
C) both of these simultaneously.
D) can only wish it could push on you.
E) none of the above
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: Newton’s Third Law of Motion
3
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
16) Harry pulls on the end of a spring attached to a wall. The reaction to Harry’s pull on the
spring is
A) the wall pulling oppositely on the spring.
B) the spring pulling on Harry.
C) both the wall and the spring pulling on Harry.
D) none of the above
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: Newton’s Third Law of Motion
17) Action and reaction pairs of forces
A) always act simultaneously.
B) may or may not act simultaneously.
C) are independent of time.
Answer: A
Diff: 1
Topic: Newton’s Third Law of Motion
18) For every action force, there must be a reaction force that
A) acts in the same direction.
B) is slightly smaller in magnitude than the action force.
C) is slightly larger in magnitude than the action force.
D) is equal in magnitude.
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic: Newton’s Third Law of Motion
19) An archer shoots an arrow. Consider the action force to be the bowstring against the arrow.
The reaction to this force is the
A) combined weight of the arrow and bowstring.
B) friction of the ground against the archer’s feet.
C) grip of the archer’s hand on the bow.
D) arrow’s push against the bowstring.
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic: Newton’s Third Law of Motion
20) When a karate chop breaks a board with a 3000-N blow, the amount of force that acts on the
hand is
A) zero.
B) 1500 N.
C) 3000 N.
D) 6000 N.
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Topic: Newton’s Third Law of Motion
4
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
21) The emphasis of the orange-and-apple sequence in your textbook is
A) defining systems.
B) actions equal reactions.
C) forces produce accelerations.
D) friction is a force.
E) mass is not a force.
Answer: A
Diff: 1
Topic: Newton’s Third Law of Motion
22) The force that accelerates the orange and apple system featured in your textbook is actually
supplied by the
A) apple.
B) orange.
C) floor.
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Topic: Newton’s Third Law of Motion
23) To produce an acceleration to a system there
A) must be a net force on the system.
B) may or may not be a net force on the system.
C) must be acceleration outside the system also.
Answer: A
Diff: 1
