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tationary skater A pushes stationary skater B, who then accelerates at 5.0 m/s². Skater A does not move. Since forces act in action-reaction pairs, explain why Skater A did not move?

User Bakkot
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Final answer:

Skater A doesn't move because they may be holding onto something stationary or experiencing a greater frictional force that prevents their movement, even though action-reaction forces are applied.

Step-by-step explanation:

The action-reaction principle from Newton's third law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When Stationary skater A pushes Stationary skater B, both skaters should experience forces of equal magnitude but in opposite directions. However, Skater A does not move because it is possible that they are holding onto something stationary or have a greater frictional force acting on them compared to Skater B, which can prevent their movement despite the force applied on Skater B. The frictional force could be due to Skater A gripping the surface of the ice more effectively or by grabbing onto an external object that is not moving, like a wall or a railing.

User Edwin Reynoso
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