Here's the breakdown:
* Earth's Force on the Apple: The apple experiences a force due to gravity, which is calculated as:
* Force (F) = mass (m) * acceleration (a)
* F = 0.40 kg * 9.8 m/s²
* F ≈ 3.92 N (Newtons)
* Apple's Force on Earth: According to Newton's Third Law, the apple exerts an equal and opposite force on the Earth. This means the apple also exerts a force of 3.92 N upward on the Earth.
The Key Takeaway: Forces always come in pairs. When one object exerts a force on another, the second object exerts an equal and opposite force back on the first.
Important Note: While the forces are equal in magnitude, they don't have the same effect. The apple accelerates significantly due to Earth's gravity because it has a much smaller mass. Earth's acceleration due to the apple's force is practically negligible because Earth is so massive.
