Final answer:
The weight of a book on a table is not a negative force; it is a positive force of gravity directed downwards. The table exerts an equal and opposite normal force on the book. Therefore correct answer is option 2 false.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question 'Is the weight of a book sitting on a table a negative force?' can be answered with a clear false. Weight is a force exerted by gravity on an object and is always directed downwards towards the center of the Earth, making it a positive force in the context of physics. When a book is placed on a table, it exerts a force equal to its weight on the table. In turn, the table exerts an upward normal force on the book that is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the weight of the book, according to Newton's third law of motion. This normal force is not considered negative; rather, it's a positive force that counteracts the weight of the book to support it, preventing it from falling through the table.
For instance, when we say that the desk exerts an upward force of 32 N on the physics book, we are describing a normal force, which is a response to the book's weight. Moreover, if a book is balanced by a 1-kg iron weight on a balance scale, the scale remains level both on Earth and the moon, despite the difference in gravitational strength, because gravity acts uniformly on both objects in each respective location.