Question

which of the following provides the best example of newtons third law of motion?
get help here
a person pushes down on a path when walking, pushing the path into the ground.
a baseball bat moves back toward the catcher after hitting a ball to center field.
a bicycle moves forward while being pedaled at a constant rate.
blowing up a balloon and letting it go quickly makes the balloon fall to the ground immediately.

Explanation:

Newton's third law of motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When a baseball bat hits a ball (action), the ball exerts an equal and opposite force on the bat (reaction), causing the bat to move back toward the catcher.

• The first option only shows a person pushing down on a path (action) but doesn't clearly show the equal and opposite reaction.
• The third option (bicycle moving forward while pedaled at a constant rate) is more related to Newton's first or second law (constant velocity - first law, force and motion - second law).
• The fourth option (balloon falling) is mainly due to gravity and air resistance rather than a clear action - reaction pair as described in Newton's third law.

Answer:

A baseball bat moves back toward the catcher after hitting a ball to center field.