Another Action/Reaction question Donkey and a cart

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In summary, the donkey is pushing the cart forward with his force downward and backward and the reaction force (the cart pushing back) is acting forward and upward.
  • #1
stillflossin15
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Another Action/Reaction question...Donkey and a cart!

Hey, i am doing this for prety much basic physics but i need to:

Draw all the action-reaction pairs.
If the cart pulls on the mule with the same force that the mule pulls on the cart, how can the mule move?

slide0023_image047.jpg


Can you help me out??

Thanks
John

The mule would pull it if it exerted more force than the cart puts onto the mule, Right?

Also, are there only F1 and -F1, or are there gravity forces that act as action reaction forces?
 
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  • #2
Objects don't move if the net force on them is zero.

Do the forces in the diagram act on the same object?

Draw the net forces on the objects in the diagram. Think about which way each object would move.

Also, are there only F1 and -F1, or are there gravity forces that act as action reaction forces?
In this case, we can assume that there is friction, because otherwise the mule would get nowhere. It would tread along the ground, but it would not move forward. Gravity is also there, but it is pretty much irrelevant.

The ground pushes the mule forward when the mule pushes against the ground to take steps, because of friction.

This problem is very important to understand, because otherwise free-body diagrams become confusing.
 
  • #3
so in order for the mule to pull the cart, there would obviously have to be friction, and it would have to have a force greater than the cart.

But what would the diagram look like for this situation?
 
  • #4
The forces on the horse and the cart that are labeled in the diagram do not affect the horse's moving forward. It is the forces between the horse and the ground that matter.

Think about that when you draw the diagram.
 
  • #5
well its not the only action and reaction force on the cart
there is another action and reaction force couple
which the donkey is applying
he is applying force downward and backward
and the reaction force is acting forward and upward
so that's why it moves ...
 

Related to Another Action/Reaction question Donkey and a cart

1. How does Newton's Third Law apply to the scenario of a donkey pulling a cart?

Newton's Third Law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In this scenario, the action is the force exerted by the donkey on the cart, and the reaction is the force exerted by the cart on the donkey. This means that as the donkey pulls the cart forward, the cart also exerts a force on the donkey in the opposite direction.

2. Does the weight of the cart affect the action-reaction forces between the donkey and the cart?

Yes, the weight of the cart does affect the action-reaction forces. According to Newton's Second Law, force is equal to mass times acceleration. This means that the heavier the cart, the more force the donkey will need to exert to pull it, and therefore, the greater the reaction force from the cart on the donkey.

3. How does friction play a role in the interaction between the donkey and the cart?

Friction is a force that resists motion between two surfaces in contact. In the case of the donkey and the cart, friction between the wheels of the cart and the ground allows the donkey to pull the cart forward. Without friction, the wheels would simply slip and the cart would not move forward.

4. Can the donkey and the cart ever have equal and opposite forces, or is one always greater?

According to Newton's Third Law, the forces between the donkey and the cart will always be equal and opposite. However, this does not mean that the forces will always be the same magnitude. Depending on the situation, one force may be greater than the other.

5. Is the donkey-cart system an isolated system?

The donkey-cart system is not considered an isolated system. This is because the system is interacting with its environment through the forces of friction and gravity. An isolated system is one that does not exchange energy or matter with its surroundings, and in this scenario, the donkey and cart are exchanging energy with their surroundings.

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