Answer :
Final answer:
The pedestal exerts an upward force on balanced rock, which is an application of Newton's third law of motion, indicating every action has an equal and opposite reaction, thus maintaining the stable equilibrium of the balanced rock.
Explanation:
The balanced rock in question exerts a downward force onto its pedestal due to gravity. As per Newton's third law of motion, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Thus, the pedestal must exert an upward force on the balanced rock that is equal in magnitude but opposite in direction. This interaction between the rock and the pedestal is why the balanced rock remains stable and does not tip over.
The correct answer is d) The pedestal exerts an upward force on balanced rock.
This is similar to the principle of equilibrium as described using the example where a marble in a bowl is in a stable equilibrium at the bottom center of the bowl, given that any slight disturbance will result in the marble returning to the equilibrium point. However, when the bowl is turned upside down, the marble at the top is in an unstable equilibrium since any slight disturbance will cause it to roll off the bowl.
In the case of the balanced rock and the pedestal, the force exerted by the rock and the counteracting force from the pedestal is an example of stabilizing forces maintaining a stable equilibrium. This concept is also reflected in other scenarios such as the interaction between the Earth and a monument, where Earth's gravitational force pulls the monument downward, and the monument's mass causes an equal and opposite force onto the Earth.
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