Also known as the law of inertia, it states that an object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.
How is inertia related to mass according to Newton's First Law?
Inertia is directly related to mass. The greater the mass of an object, the greater its resistance to changes in motion.
What is Newton's Second Law of Motion?
Newton's Second Law states that the acceleration of an object depends on the net force acting on the object and the object’s mass (F = ma).
What does the formula F = ma represent?
It represents Newton's Second Law, where F is force, m is mass, and a is acceleration.
If the mass of an object is doubled, how does that affect acceleration, assuming the force is constant?
The acceleration is halved because acceleration is inversely proportional to mass.
What is Newton's Third Law of Motion?
It states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Provide a real-life example of Newton's Third Law.
When you jump off a small boat, you push the boat away with your foot; the boat pushes you in the opposite direction.
How do Newton's Laws apply to a car crash?
In a crash, Newton's First Law explains why passengers continue moving forward, the Second Law relates force with acceleration, and the Third Law pertains to the impact forces between the colliding objects.
Why does a ball eventually come to a stop when rolled on the ground?
Due to friction, which is an unbalanced force that acts against the motion per Newton's First Law.
How does Newton's Second Law explain the difference in stopping a loaded truck and an empty one?
A loaded truck has more mass, requiring more force to achieve the same acceleration or deceleration.
What must happen for an object to change its state of motion, according to Newton's First Law?
An unbalanced force must act on it.
How are seatbelts a practical application of Newton's First Law?
Seatbelts apply a force to stop passengers from continuing to move forward in a sudden stop or crash, countering inertia.
Explain how rockets launch using Newton's Third Law.
Rockets expel gas downwards at high speed (action), and in response, they are pushed upwards with equal force (reaction).
What is an example of balanced forces according to Newton's First Law?
A book resting on a table. The force of gravity pulling it down is balanced by the table pushing it up.
How do athletes use Newton's Laws to enhance performance?
Athletes use techniques to optimize the forces they exert and reduce air resistance, utilizing principles from all three laws.