If a car collides with a housefly, what will be the magnitude of the force experienced by the housefly?
Correct answer: C. Same as the force experienced by the car
- A. Much greater than the force experienced by the car
- B. Much lesser than than the force experienced by the car
- C. Same as the force experienced by the car
- D. 10 times less than the force experienced by the car
Explanation
Yes, the same amount of force is imparted on each of them at the moment of the collision. However, one is affected much more than the other.Instead of thinking in terms of accelerating cars and flies, assume each has a constant velocity. At the moment of impact, each of them undergoes an acceleration (in the negative direction, so we usually call it deceleration) proportional to the force F of the impact. F is the same for both objects.Now, according to Newton's third law, at the moment of impact, the force that the car imparts on the fly is exactly equal to the force that the fly imparts on the car. Also, according to Newton's second law, the force is equal to mass times acceleration. As such, the train hits the fly with a massive amount of force, equal to the acceleration times the mass of the train.Results:The magnitude of force experienced by the housefly is the same as that experienced by the car neither less nor more because Newton's 3rd law is applicable here.
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