Physics Help needed

[onur369]

We analyzed a picture which consisted of a horse with its carriage.

And the teacher asked us this question:

We are told that action and reaction forces are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction in that case Fnet on the horse carriage must be zero than how come it can still accelerate?

[man0005]

The action and reaction force act on different objects

[xZero]

Action and reaction forces are acting on different object, in this case it should be the carriage on horse and horse on carriage. Therefore the Fnet shouldn't be zero unless the friction/resistance force balances with the force from horse on carriage

[ApplePie]

Well the force you apply to the ground when you're walking is an action reaction force. That is how we walk. As the horse accelerates, the action reaction forces are still equal as it runs along the ground. The acceleration comes from the rate at which the horses legs move. Also the harder the horse pushes at the ground, the ground will push back with equal, but opposite force.