Can an object exert a force on itself?

Question

amistre64 · Answer

my first thought is to try punching yourself in the face and see if it hurts :)

amistre64 · Answer

im not sure how to deconstruct the sentence in terms of proper scientific jargon; but my gut says not

amistre64 · Answer

more sciency would be:

Force = mass x acceleration

since the acceleration of the object with respect to itself is zero; then the Force it can exert on itself is zero.

But i would wait for other to chime in to be sure

anonymous · Answer

Hmm, i think it can. But the object also gives reaction force to it's other self. As @amistre64 said, the acceleration is zero then.

anonymous · Answer

A force giver cannot exert that particular force at itself. i.e.You can use your right hand to punch yourself(your hand acts on the body) but your right hand can't punch itself.

anonymous · Answer

in general force= mass x acceleration, so if acceleration is zero force is zero but in case of liquid a force acts on surface as to keep the surface area is minimum and this property is surface tension.

anonymous · Answer

so a liquid surface exert force on itself. but if we go in detail we will find that this force is  electrostatic in nature.

anonymous · Answer

also if you are sitting in chair without armrest your body will exert a force on your hand and after few time you will feel tired.

amistre64 · Answer

the devil is in the details.  If we are talking about an abstract (unrealistic) situation, then no.  But as we try to apply this broad scope and abstract idea into a more realistic frame, we see that "an object" is more complex and that "a force" is harder to define.

anonymous · Answer

A liquid does not exert an force on itself. Surface tension is force between molecules. A force giver in this case is the molecules of the liquid and they exert to one another, not on itself. 
When you sit. Your body exerts a force on your hand but you hand is not the force giver. In any reference frame a force giver cannot exert a force back at itself. Force is a vector. It has a direction. Just so that you can feel a force same of magnitude given by your own hand doesn't mean the hand gets the same force it has exerted.