Physics & Astronomy

You Can't Push Without Being Pushed

Purpose
To show that you can't push on an object without the object exerting an equal but oppositely directed push on you.
Location
Room 136, shelf M4
Description
Roller Blades (men's size 9) — Have someone try pushing on the wall while wearing roller blades without making themselves go backwards.
Chairs with Wheels — 2 students in chairs can try to push each other without pushing themselves. This can also be done with 2 students with very different weight to demonstrate that the same force results in greater acceleration (and hence speed and distance) when applied to a smaller mass. (Classroom chairs work okay.)