Question

1) When you take a turn to the left in a car, you feel "thrown" to the right. Explain, using the

language of Newton's first law, how it is incorrect to say a force is responsible for this feeling.
Finish up by explaining what's actually going on.


2) Newton's third law states that for each force acting on a body (action), there is a force of
equal magnitude and opposite direction (reaction) acting on whatever generates the force on the
body. What is the reaction force to your weight?

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

1) Newton's first law of motion states: "an object in motion stays in motion, and an object at rest stays at rest, until acted upon by an unbalanced force."

When you're riding in a car, your body is moving forward. When the car turns left, your inertia keeps you moving forward. This means the car moves left from underneath you, which makes it feel like you're moving to the right, even though there's no net force pushing you.

2) When you're standing on the ground, the Earth's gravity pulls on you with a force equal to your weight. You push back on the Earth with an equal and opposite force called "normal force".