Consider an object such as a calculator at rest on a flat (horizontal) desk. You
ID: 2179199 • Letter: C
Question
Consider an object such as a calculator at rest on a flat (horizontal) desk. You know that the calculator has a weight, which means the earth (actually, the rest of the universe, but the closest bit of the rest of the universe to the calculator is the earth) is pulling the calculator towards its center. A fellow student claims that the calculator remains at rest because the upward push of the desk on the calculator is the reaction to its weight in the sense that Newton's Third Law uses the word "reaction"; and because Newton's Third Law tells us that the reaction is equal in magnitude but opposite in direction to the action (that is, the weight), the two forces cancel out and the calculator remains at rest.Explain why you either agree or disagree with this statement. If you agree with it, explain clearly why you believe that the push of the desk is the reaction to the weight by explaining the origin of both forces in terms of mechanisms such as gravity or electromagnetic forces. If you disagree, explain clearly why you believe the push of the desk is NOT the reaction to the weight of the object, again explaining the origin of both forces in terms of mechanisms such as gravity or electromagnetic forces. If you disagree with the statement, identify clearly the reactions to the weight of the object and the push of the desk on the object.
Explanation / Answer
I agreed with the above statement because it is according to the newton's 3rd law and body remains in static equilibrium. It also follow the 1st law of equilibrium.