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Difficulty: EasyNewton's Third Law (Action/Reaction)

A canoeist pulls a paddle backward through the water to propel the canoe. According to Newton's Third Law of Motion, which specific force directly causes the canoe and paddler to move forward?

  1. The water pushing forward against the paddleAnswer
  2. B
    The forward inertia of the canoe resisting the backward pull
  3. C
    The backward force of the paddle being greater than the mass of the canoe
  4. D
    The reduced surface friction between the canoe hull and the water

Answer

The water pushing forward against the paddle
According to Newton's Third Law, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The action is the paddle pushing backward on the water. Therefore, the reaction is the water pushing forward on the paddle, which drives the canoe forward.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the action force described in the scenario.
The paddle pushes backward against the water.
Newton's Third Law requires identifying the initial interacting bodies and the direction of the applied force.
2
Apply Newton's Third Law to find the reaction force.
The water pushes forward against the paddle.
Forces always occur in equal and opposite pairs acting on different bodies. If the action is backward on the water, the reaction must be forward on the paddle.

Key Concept

Action and reaction forces occur in equal and opposite pairs between two interacting bodies.
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Newton's Third Law (Action/Reaction)

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