Which statement expresses the relationship in Newton's Third Law?

• A. They are independent
• B. For every action, there is an equal reaction
• C. Action creates reaction
• D. Reaction occurs before action

Answer: (B)

When two objects interact, the forces they exert on each other come in pairs that are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. This means the force one object applies on the other is matched by a force of the same size but opposite direction acting on the first object. Importantly, these action-reaction forces act on different bodies and occur at the same time, not one after the other.

For example, when you push against a wall, your hand applies a force on the wall, and the wall pushes back on your hand with an equal and opposite force. This is why the statement “for every action, there is an equal reaction” best captures the relationship described by Newton’s Third Law.