Question

Assertion: Animate objects can accelerate in the absence of external force.
Reason: Newton’s second law is not applicable on animate objects.
(A) Both Assertion and Reason are correct and Reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
(B) Both Assertion and Reason are correct but Reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion.
(C) Assertion is correct but Reason is incorrect.
(D) Both Assertion and Reason are incorrect.

Answer 1

Newton’s second law states that the acceleration produced in the body is directly proportional to the external force applied on it. Give a reasonable explanation of how the body can accelerate without any external force acting on it. To do so, take the example of a person running over the horizontal plane.

Complete step by step answer:
The word “animate” came from the Latin word which means “alive”. Animals, humans, and all other living things are animate. We know Newton’s second law states that the acceleration produced in the body is directly proportional to the external force applied on it. Without the external force, the body cannot accelerate. We cannot walk or run in the horizontal plane if there is no frictional force between the sole of our foot and road. When we jump from a certain height, we accelerate while going downwards. The acceleration produced is due to gravitational force acting on us. Therefore, we can say that animate objects cannot accelerate without external force. So, both the assertion and reason are incorrect.

So, the correct answer is option (D).

Additional information:
Newton’s first law states that a moving body remains in its state of motion until and unless it is acted by an external force to halt its motion. Also, if the body is at rest, it will remain at rest if it is not acted by the external force to accelerate it.Newton’s third law states that if we apply a force on the body, it will also exert the same amount of force on us in the opposite direction.

Note: Every animate and inanimate object needs external force to accelerate or move. There is no exception. Students should know that Newton’s laws are valid for the speed of the body less than the speed of light.