Question

Suppose you find yourself teetering on the edge of a cliff or the roof of a tall building with a heavy physics book in your hand. As you are about to fall, you suddenly remember how physics can save you! What law did you remember?

Answer 1

The physics law to remember at the edge of a tall building is Newton's law of universal gravitation, which explains the force of attraction between two masses, and Newton’s laws of motion, which dictate how an object moves under the influence of this force.

Step-by-step explanation:

When teetering on the edge of a cliff or the roof of a tall building with a heavy physics book in hand, the physics law you might remember to potentially save yourself is Newton's law of universal gravitation.

Newton's law of universal gravitation states that every point mass attracts every other point mass by a force acting along the line intersecting both points. This force is proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. In simple terms, the farther you are from the Earth's center, the weaker the gravitational pull. Additionally, the other key physics concept that might come to mind is Newton’s laws of motion, which could help analyze the situation and potential outcomes of your actions.

The realization here is that gravitational force and motion must be taken into account for any objects – including yourself or a book – when at a significant height. Whether engaging in a desperate attempt to throw the book and create a counterforce to propel yourself back or figuring out the safest way to land, the principles of physics could be invaluable.

Answer 2

Answer: Law of Conservation of Momentum

Step-by-step explanation:

According of Law of Conservation of Momentum:

"If the result of the forces acting on a body or system is null, its linear momentum remains constant in time ".

In fact, this law is actually a direct consequence of Newton's third law of motion:

"When two bodies interact between them, appear equal forces and opposite directions in each of them."

To understand it better:

Each time a body or object exerts a force on a second body or object, it (the second body) will exert a force of equal magnitude and direction but in the opposite direction on the first.

So, if you If you throw the heavy physics book forward, you will have a backward momentum (with the same magnitude and opposite direction), hence a backward force that will make you fall to the side of the building and you will not fall over the edge.