Newton's first law of Motion is called?
VerifiedAnswer: law of inertia.
Explanation:
Newton's first law of motion is commonly known as the law of inertia. This fundamental principle was formulated by Sir Isaac Newton in the 17th century and forms the foundation of classical mechanics. The law states that an object at rest will remain at rest, and an object in motion will continue moving in a straight line at constant velocity, unless acted upon by an external force.
The term "inertia" comes from the Latin word meaning "idleness" or "laziness." In physics, inertia refers to the tendency of objects to resist changes in their state of motion. Think of it as the natural "stubbornness" of matter - objects prefer to keep doing what they're already doing. If a book is lying on your desk, it will stay there until you pick it up. If you slide that same book across a smooth table, it would theoretically keep sliding forever if there were no friction to stop it.
This law helps us understand many everyday phenomena. When you're in a car that suddenly brakes, your body continues moving forward because of inertia - you tend to maintain your previous state of motion. Similarly, when the car accelerates quickly, you feel pushed back into your seat because your body resists the change in motion.
The concept of inertia is also related to mass. Objects with greater mass have greater inertia, meaning they resist changes in motion more strongly. This is why it's much harder to push a heavy truck than a lightweight bicycle. The truck's greater mass gives it more inertia, making it more difficult to accelerate or decelerate.
It's important to note that in real-world situations, we don't often observe objects moving at constant velocity forever because forces like friction, air resistance, and gravity are constantly acting upon them. However, the law of inertia helps us understand that without these external forces, objects would indeed maintain their state of motion indefinitely. This principle is beautifully demonstrated in space, where astronauts and objects can float and move with minimal resistance due to the near-absence of external forces like friction and air resistance.
