Chapter 1: Problem 31
In Section 1.5 we proved that Newton's third law implies the conservation of
momentum. Prove the converse, that if the law of conservation of momentum
applies to every possible group of particles, then the interparticle forces
must obey the third law. [Hint: However many particles your system contains,
you can focus your attention on just two of them. (Call them 1 and 2.) The law
of conservation of momentum says that if there are no external forces on this
pair of particles, then their total momentum must be constant. Use this to
prove that
Short Answer
Step by step solution
Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.