What’s the opposite and equal reaction to Earth’s gravity and where can we observe this reaction?

Question

In Physics we are told that with every action there is an opposite and equal reaction… OK. So what’s the opposite and equal reaction to Earth’s gravity and where can we observe this reaction?

Answer 1

You can observe it 24/7. You are not falling to the center of the earth. And you're not flying away into space. So something is holding you up, and it's exactly balancing the force of gravity.

In this case the equal and opposite reaction is that you are supported by solid material below you. The atoms in the solid resist being compressed or being pushed out of the way. So it exerts a force back at you.

The force is proportional to how heavy you are. So it exactly balances, and you don't fly off into space or fall through to the center of the earth.

This is sometimes called the "normal" force. Not because other forces are abnormal, it just means that it's exerted back at you, at right angles to the surface you're on.

What's the source of this force? You can think of it as the "springiness" of solid objects. It's easy to see this if you stand on a real spring, it gives a little but then at some point its resistance balances out gravity. Solid objects are exactly the same, they just don't bend enough to see.

It's kind of weird to think of the ground as exerting a force on you -- it's not moving, it just sits there. But it's true.

Answer 2

Saying that the force is a reaction is misleading. All forces act in pairs. One doesn't cause the other. The force pairs never react on the same object. Say object A applies a force to object B. Then object B applies the same force on object A in the opposite direction.

Using gravity as an example. The earth pulls down on you with a force equal to your weight. You also pull up on the earth with the same force.

Answer 3

u know there r 4 power surround us in opposite directions. also u know that the gravity push us down depending on our weights,but gravity has no mind so it push us down and maybe to the bottom of the earth but because of the existence of the upper- power which pulls us up and makes balance so we can walk stand and move, because of that we r not in the middle of the earth where fire and heat!! u can touch this upper-power n the space ( u know astronomers fly n the space coz there's no gravity and the work of the upper-power is there.

Answer 4

I would guess on the other side of Earth. Because it is pulling in the opposite direction.

Answer 5

we pull the earth as the earth pulls us.. it is the same force but opposite in direction as the earth's gravity..

Answer 6

we pull the earth as much as the earth pulls us but in the opposite direction

Answer 7

The moon and our position among the planets , our orbit , your own weight, the depth of the atmosphere, you got to think outside the box

Answer 8

don't know what it's called but you can observe it on the moon

Answer 9

us, everything on the earth