Answer to Question #61552 in Mechanics | Relativity for hamid

Question

If we hit a ball to against the wall, it bounces back, obeying Newton third law , however when we hit the wall with MUD i t doesn't bounce.
a) WHY
b) Are there any rules under which Newton third law of motion will be obeyed?

Answer 1

a) Newton’s third law: When one body exerts a force on a second body, the second body simultaneously exerts a force equal in magnitude and opposite in direction on the first body.
Wall acts on the ball and mud equally, but ball bounces back because it have great elasticity (so, it can store energy received from wall) and can return to its previous state after deformation. Mud doesn’t have elasticity and dissipates all the energy obtained from the wall, so it can’t return to its previous state after deformation.
b) Newton’s third law if motion is always obeyed. But bodies will bounce back from the wall only if they will have great elasticity (Hooke’s law).