Newton's third law.. Sometimes i keep thinking how does the wall know when to push back and which direction to push back when you push it.. But is it because of the microscopic deformation when you push it that makes you push back.. more or less like a restoring force of a spring?
So basically the reaction force is nothing but a restoring force?

Which means if objects were perfectly rigid third law wouldn't hold good?

Question

Newton's third law.. Sometimes i keep thinking how does the wall know when to push back and which direction to push back when you push it.. But is it because of the microscopic deformation when you push it that makes you push back.. more or less like a restoring force of a spring?
So basically the reaction force is nothing but a restoring force?

Which means if objects were perfectly rigid third law wouldn't hold good?

anonymous · Answer

*

dls · Answer

*

anonymous · Answer

?!

dls · Answer

*=no idea :)

anonymous · Answer

The only issue I see with a perfectly rigid universe is when two bodies collide the interaction ie change in momentum occurs in zero seconds as there is no slowing down which results in an infinite force.

anonymous · Answer

no .. i m saying newton's third law wouldn't work.. in a perfectly rigid universe.. !.. so there need not be a change in momentum in the first place :P

anonymous · Answer

What happens when two bodies collide?

anonymous · Answer

depends on type of collision

anonymous · Answer

example?

anonymous · Answer

i dunno what would happen.. hard to imagine.. i wanna know whether what i wrote is correct.. is the third law purely a consequence of the fact that bodies deform and provide a restoring force?!

anonymous · Answer

Correct???  We only know Newtons laws are correct because we can verify them. We cannot verify anything in your make believe world of rigid bodies.

anonymous · Answer

no.. i mean the mechanism of the third law!?..

anonymous · Answer

The third law presupposes no mechanism.