Question

A book weighing 5 N rests on top of a table. 1) A downward force of magnitude 5 N is exerted on the book by the force of

Answer 1

Answer:

1) A downward force of magnitude 5 N is exerted on the book by the force of of gravity

2) An upward force of magnitude 5 N is exerted on the book by the table

Explanation:

First of all, any object near the Earth's surface experiences the forces of gravity, which is also called weight of the object. This force always acts downward.

For the book in the problem, the magnitude of the weight is 5 N.

We also know that the book is at rest: this means that the net force acting on it is zero, and there must be another force balancing the weight, in order to give a zero net force. This other force is the reaction force exerted by the table on the book: the magnitude of this force must be equal to the force of gravity (so, 5 N) and its direction is opposite to the weight, therefore upward.