Question

a snowflake falls to the ground. what is the correct relationship of forces acting between the snowflake and the earth?

Explanation:

Step1: Recall Newton's third - law

According to Newton's third - law, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When a snowflake falls to the ground due to the gravitational force (an action force) exerted by the Earth on the snowflake, the snowflake exerts an equal and opposite gravitational force on the Earth. The forces are along the line connecting the centers of the snowflake and the Earth, which means they are in a vertical, opposite - direction relationship.

Answer:

The first option (the one with vertical, opposite - direction arrows) represents the correct relationship of forces acting between the snowflake and the Earth.