
Education Journalist | Study Abroad Lead
Newton's first law of motion, also known as the law of inertia, states that an object at rest will remain at rest and an object in motion will remain in motion with a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force. In simpler terms, it means that objects will continue to do what they're already doing unless something else forces them to change. Inertia was explained by Sir Isaac Newton in his first law of motion.

Here are some examples that illustrate the first law of motion:
- A book sitting on a table: If a book is placed on a table and left undisturbed, it will remain there until someone or something moves it. The book is at rest, and according to Newton's first law, it will remain at rest until a force acts upon it.
- A car driving on a straight road: When a car is moving on a straight road with a constant speed, it will continue to do so until an external force acts on it, such as hitting the brakes or turning the steering wheel.
- A hockey puck sliding on ice: When a hockey puck is pushed on the ice, it will continue to slide until it hits something, such as the boards, another player's stick, or the goalpost. In this case, friction and air resistance will slow down the puck, but it will continue to move in a straight line until acted upon by an external force.
- A person jumping off a diving board: When a person jumps off a diving board, they move in a parabolic arc before hitting the water. According to Newton's first law, the person will continue to move in a straight line with a constant velocity until the force of gravity pulls them down towards the water.
Overall, Newton's first law of motion is all about inertia, the tendency of objects to resist changes in their state of motion. It helps explain why objects behave the way they do and is a fundamental principle of physics.
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