My NGSS: Newton's Third Law

NGSS Disciplinary Core Idea MS-PS2.A.1: For any pair of interacting objects, the force exerted by the first object on the second object is equal in strength to the force that the second object exerts on the first, but in the opposite direction.

Editor's Note: Newton's Third Law of Motion appears as a middle school standard in the NGSS. However, it remains of great importance in understanding force interactions through all high school physics course levels.

This NGSS-aligned multimedia collection supports teaching of Newton's Third Law of Motion, a seemingly simple, but often grossly misunderstood concept. It focuses on presenting the Third Law in the context of force pairs. Appropriate for high school Physical Science, Physics First, and Conceptual Physics courses.

NGSS Disciplinary Core Idea - Forces and Motion

MS-PS2-A.1: For any pair of interacting objects, the force exerted by the first object on the second object is equal in strength to the force that the second object exerts on the first, but in the opposite direction.

Crosscutting Concepts Addressed

Cause and Effect
Systems and System Models
Stability and Change

Science and Engineering Practices Addressed

Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Designing Solutions
Developing and Using Models
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking