Question

If you push on a small car that is stuck in the mud, why do you sink into the

ground as you push on the car?

Answer 1

See below

Step-by-step explanation:

Gravity will pull you down as you stand in the mud.

Additionally , if you do not push exactly horizontally ......like you push UP some , the equal and opposite force will push YOU down into the mud.

This would be like picking up a weight while you are standing there

F = ma will be greater and you will get muddier !

Answer 2

As you're applying force to the car, the mud which is a sinking surface would but you in the same place as the car is. The car is stuck in the mud and sunk to point where it cannot be pulled out unless an outside force interferes. When you apply force into the car and try to push it out, you would be put in the same situation. You would be experiencing friction which is an opposing force, in this problem, a simple machine such as a pulley would be helpful as it can lift the car from the outside. The car would act as a load and someone or some type of machine can use force to pick the car out of the mud. But if you were to try to push it out of the mud, you would just sink as the force applied would only put you in the same situation as the car, overall resulting in both beings (objects - car, human - "you" POV) being stuck in the same conumdrum.