However, it's crucial to understand that Newton's laws are based on observations and deductions, not necessarily a single "Eureka!" moment. He likely developed his understanding of the third law over time, building upon the work of others like Galileo.
Here's how it likely unfolded:
1. Observation: Newton observed the interactions of objects. He saw that pushing a box forward caused him to move backward (think about pushing a heavy shopping cart). He saw how a cannon recoils when firing a projectile.
2. Deduction: From these observations, he concluded that forces always come in pairs. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
3. Mathematical Formulation: He formalized this principle mathematically, stating that whenever object A exerts a force on object B, object B exerts an equal and opposite force on object A.
So, while there's no specific date for the "discovery" of the third law, it was a process of observation, deduction, and mathematical formulation that took place over time.