If you push against a wall, which of the following statements is true according to Newton's laws?

• A. You push on the wall.
• B. The wall pushes back on you.
• C. The wall pushes with equal and opposite force.
• D. All of the above.

Answer: (D)

Newton's third law states that forces come in equal and opposite pairs when two objects interact. When you push on a wall, you exert a force on the wall, and the wall exerts a force back on you with the same magnitude but in the opposite direction. This means the statement that you push on the wall is true, the wall pushes back on you is true, and the wall pushes with equal and opposite force (to your push) is also true. Since these forces act on two different objects, they form a matching action–reaction pair and don’t cancel each other out. All of these aspects happen together in the interaction, so all of the above describe the same event correctly.