A man pushes against a rigid,immovable wall.Which of the following is the most accurate statement concerning this situation?
A)The man can never exert a force on the wall that exceeds his weight.
B)If the man pushes on the wall with a force of 200 N,we can be sure that the wall is pushing back with a force of exactly 200 N on him.
C)Since the wall cannot move,it cannot exert any force on the man.
D)The man cannot be in equilibrium since he is exerting a net force on the wall.
E)The friction force on the man's feet is directed to the left.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Newton's third law of motion, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When the man pushes on the wall with a force of 200 N, the wall exerts an equal and opposite force of 200 N on the man. Therefore, option B is the most accurate statement concerning this situation. Option A is incorrect because the man can exert a force greater than his weight on the wall, but the wall will exert an equal and opposite force on him. Option C is incorrect because the wall exerts a force on the man equal in magnitude but opposite in direction to his force. Option D is incorrect because the man can be in equilibrium if the wall exerts an equal and opposite force on him. Option E is incorrect because there is no mention of friction in the problem statement.

A Man Pushes Against a Rigid,immovable Wall