Reaction (physics)
The third of Newton's laws of motion of classical mechanics states that forces always occur in pairs. This is related to the fact that a force results from the interaction of two objects. Every force ('action') on one object is accompanied by a 'reaction' on another, of equal magnitude but opposite direction. The attribution of which of the two forces is action or reaction is arbitrary. Each of the two forces can be considered the action, the other force is its associated reaction.
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Famous quotes containing the word reaction:
“In contrast to revenge, which is the natural, automatic reaction to transgression and which, because of the irreversibility of the action process can be expected and even calculated, the act of forgiving can never be predicted; it is the only reaction that acts in an unexpected way and thus retains, though being a reaction, something of the original character of action.”
—Hannah Arendt (1906–1975)