Both vehicles exert forces of equal magnitude on each other.
Explanation
The problem is based on Newton's Third Law of Motion, which governs the nature of interaction forces between two bodies. The law states that "to every action, there is always an equal and opposite reaction."
Detailed Analysis
- Action-Reaction Pair: During the collision, the force exerted by the truck on the car (action) and the force exerted by the car on the truck (reaction) constitute an action-reaction pair. According to Newton's Third Law, these forces are always equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.
- Independence from Mass and Velocity: The magnitude of the interaction force is not dictated by the mass or the velocity of the individual bodies. Therefore, despite the truck being heavier and potentially moving at a different speed, it exerts the same magnitude of force on the car as the car exerts on it.
- Distinction between Force and Acceleration: While the forces are equal, the resulting acceleration is different. According to Newton's Second Law ($F=ma$), the lighter car experiences a significantly greater acceleration (deceleration) than the heavier truck because acceleration is inversely proportional to mass for a given force. This explains why the car suffers more damage.
Key Takeaway: In any collision between two objects, the mutual forces exerted on each other are always equal in magnitude, regardless of differences in their masses or initial velocities.