According to Netwon's third law, each team in a tug of war pulls with equal force on the other team. What then determines which team will win?
Can someone please explain this to me?
2006-11-16 09:04:19 · 2 answers · asked by Megan M 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
If they pull with equal force, then noone will win (assuming the rope isn't moving at the start) if the forces are slightly unequal, then there will be acceleration and someone will win
2006-11-16 09:26:41 · answer #1 · answered by amania_r 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The tension in the string is not the only force acting on the teams. Each team applies a force on the ground. The forces applied by the two teams are of course unrelated to each other - unlike the tension in the rope. The ground, as a reaction, applies an equal and opposite force on each team. It is the difference in the horizontal component of this force which decides which team wins.
2006-11-17 05:35:45 · answer #2 · answered by muten 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋