Final answer:
Newton's third law can explain the action and reaction forces involved when a bullet is fired from a gun and when an inflated balloon releases air. The force applied on the bullet by the gun has an equal and opposite reaction force that causes the gun to recoil, and the air expelled from the balloon exerts an equal and opposite force that moves the balloon in the opposite direction.
Step-by-step explanation:
Newton's third law of motion explains the phenomenon of a bullet fired from a gun and the air released from an inflated balloon as follows:
- Action and reaction forces cause the bullet to move forward and the gun to move backward.
- The gun exerts a force on the bullet, and the bullet exerts an equal and opposite force on the gun.
- The balloon pushes the air out with a force, and the air exerts an equal and opposite force on the balloon.
So, the correct explanation in the student's options is both A. Action and reaction forces cause the bullet to move forward and the gun backward, and D. The balloon pushes the air out with a force, and the air pushes the balloon with an equal force.
With the bullet and gun scenario, the gun (the system exerting the force) pushes the bullet forward. As a reaction, the bullet exerts a force that pushes the gun backward, which is commonly referred to as the gun's recoil. Similarly, when an inflated balloon releases air, it pushes the air out in one direction, and as a reaction, the air pushes the balloon in the opposite direction, propelling it forward.