Newton's Laws of Motion/Third Law

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Physical Law

Newton's third law of motion is one of three physical laws that forms the basis for classical mechanics.


Statement of Law

To every force there is always an equal and opposite force.
That is, the forces of two bodies on each other are always equal and are directed in opposite directions.


As Isaac Newton himself put it:

Whenever one body exerts a force on a second body, the second body exerts a force on the first body. These forces are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.


Also known as

Newton's Third Law of Motion is also referred to as:

the Law of Action and Reaction

or:

the Principle of Action and Reaction.

Hence its usual wording:

To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Some sources suggest that it may also be called the Law of Interaction.

It is also often referred to as just Newton's Third Law.


Also see


Source of Name

This entry was named for Isaac Newton.


Sources