A horse pulls on a chariot and begins to move. The force of the chariot acting on the horse is:

Question

A horse pulls on a chariot and begins to move. The force of the chariot acting on the horse is:

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Newton’s third law: for every force there is an equal and opposite force. That is the central concept needed here.

1) Relevant knowledge points and concepts
- Newton’s third law of motion: if body A exerts a force F on body B, then B exerts a force −F on A. The two forces have the same magnitude, opposite directions, and act on different bodies.  
- Action–reaction pairs do not cancel each other because they act on different objects. Net acceleration of any one object depends on the sum of forces acting on that object only.

2) Step-by-step reasoning
- Identify the action: the horse pulls the chariot with some force F_h→c (horse on chariot).  
- By Newton’s third law, the reaction is the chariot pulling the horse with force F_c→h = −F_h→c (equal magnitude, opposite direction).  
- Write symbolically: F_c→h = −F_h→c, therefore |F_c→h| = |F_h→c|.

3) Intermediate/calculation steps (symbolic)
- Let F = magnitude of force the horse applies to the chariot. Then force of chariot on horse = −F (direction opposite). Magnitudes: |F_h→c| = F and |F_c→h| = F, so they are equal.

4) Why the correct answer is correct
- The forces between horse and chariot form an action–reaction pair. Their magnitudes must be equal by Newton’s third law regardless of whether the system accelerates.

5) Why the other options are incorrect
- Option b (greater): violates Newton’s third law; one object cannot exert a larger reaction force.  
- Option c (less): likewise violates the law. Any apparent difference in motion (horse moving the chariot) comes from other forces (e.g., ground friction on the horse), not from unequal horse–chariot forces.

Conclusion: Therefore the force of the chariot acting on the horse is the same as the force of the horse on the chariot, confirming answer a.

A horse pulls on a chariot and begins to move. The force of the chariot acting on the horse is:单项选择题

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