A 1500kg car hit by a rock: Understanding the Interaction

A 1500kg car traveling along a road is hit by a 0.1kg rock that creates a small crack in the car’s windshield. Which of the following describes the interaction between the windshield and the rock?

Answer:

The car exerts a force on the rock, and the rock exerts a force on the car. The two forces are equal in magnitude.

Explanation:

It is given that,

Mass of the car, M = 1500 kg

Mass of the rock, m = 0.1 kg

It is mentioned that a car traveling along a road is hit by a rock that creates a small crack in the car’s windshield. We need to find the correct option that describes the interaction between the windshield and the rock. We know that when one object hits another object, the force applied by object 1 on object 2 have equal and opposite reaction as per the Newton's third law of motion.

So, the car exerts a force on the rock, and the rock exerts a force on the car. The two forces are equal in magnitude. Hence, the correct option is (c).

The statement that describes the interaction between the windshield and the rock is the car exerts a force on the rock, and the rock exerts a force on the car. The two forces are equal in magnitude.

Using Newton's third law of action and reactions that states that when two bodies interact, they apply forces to one another that are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.

In a shorter form it states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

According to this law, the forces of the rock and the car are interacting with each other.

Since the car and the rock collide, the interaction between these bodies exert forces upon each other. This forces are equal and opposite to each other.

Therefore, The car exerts a force on the rock, and the rock exerts a force on the car. The two forces are equal in magnitude.