Understanding Newton's First Law

What does Newton's First Law of Motion state?

• An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

• For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

• The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass.

• Velocity of an object remains constant unless a force causes its speed or direction to change.

What is another common name for Newton's First Law of Motion?

• Law of Elasticity

• Law of Universal Gravitation

• Law of Inertia

• Law of Acceleration

Which of the following scenarios is an example of Newton's First Law?

• A car speeding up on a highway.

• A ball rolling down a hill.

• A book lying on a table without moving.

• A rocket launching into space.

What is required to change the state of motion of an object according to Newton's First Law?

• A balanced force

• An unbalanced force

• No force at all

• A gravitational force

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If you are sitting in a car that suddenly stops, and your body continues to move forward, this is an example of:

• Newton's Second Law

• Newton's Third Law

• Newton's First Law

• The law of conservation of energy

Which of the following is NOT a consequence of Newton's First Law?

• Seat belts are necessary for safety in cars.

• A ball thrown in space will continue to move forever.

• A person can walk without slipping due to friction.

• A spinning top will never stop spinning on its own.

What does inertia refer to in the context of Newton's First Law?

• The force required to keep an object moving

• The tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion

• The rate of change of momentum of an object

• The gravitational pull experienced by an object

In which of the following environments would Newton's First Law be most observable in its pure form?

• On the surface of the Earth with air resistance and friction

• In deep space, far from gravitational influences

• Underwater with drag forces

• On the Moon, where there is less gravity than Earth

What role does friction play in Newton's First Law?

• It is the force that keeps objects in motion.

• It is an unbalanced force that can change an object's state of motion.

• It is a balanced force that does not affect motion.

• It is a type of gravitational force.

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According to Newton's First Law, what will happen to a puck sliding on a perfectly frictionless ice rink?

• It will eventually stop due to air resistance.

• It will slow down due to its weight.

• It will continue sliding at a constant velocity indefinitely.

• It will accelerate on its own.