Newton's Third Law - GCSE Physics Definition

Reviewed by: Caroline Carroll

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Newton's Third Law is one of the basic ideas in physics, and it helps us understand how forces work between two objects. It says that for every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. This means that when one object pushes or pulls on another object, the second object pushes or pulls back with the same amount of force, but in the opposite direction. For example, if you were to push a wall, the wall pushes back on you just as hard. This law helps us understand why we can move and how things like rockets and cars work. It's all about how forces act in pairs and affect each other.

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Caroline Carroll

Reviewer: Caroline Carroll

Expertise: Physics & Chemistry Subject Lead

Caroline graduated from the University of Nottingham with a degree in Chemistry and Molecular Physics. She spent several years working as an Industrial Chemist in the automotive industry before retraining to teach. Caroline has over 12 years of experience teaching GCSE and A-level chemistry and physics. She is passionate about creating high-quality resources to help students achieve their full potential.

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