Suppose one's hand exerts a force of 12 N upward on a book weighing 10 N. The reaction to the force of the hand on the book is a force of
A) 10 N exerted by the Earth on the book.
B) 10 N exerted by the book on the Earth.
C) 12 N exerted by the book on the hand.
D) 10 N exerted by the book on the hand.
E) 2 N exerted by the book on the hand.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Newton's third law of motion, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Therefore, if the hand exerts a force of 12 N upward on the book, the book exerts a force of 12 N downward on the hand.

Suppose One's Hand Exerts a Force of 12 N Upward