✳flâneur — a map of the web's best reading

5.2 Newton's First Law - University Physics Volume 1 | OpenStax

openstax.org · 2,490 words · saved by 1 readers

Experience suggests that an object at rest remains at rest if left alone and that an object in motion tends to slow down and stop unless some effort is made to keep it moving. However, Newton’s first law gives a deeper explanation of this observation. A body at rest remains at rest or, if in motion, remains in motion at constant velocity unless acted on by a net external force. Note the repeated use of the verb “remains.” We can think of this law as preserving the status quo of motion. Also note the expression “constant velocity;” this means that the object maintains a path along a straight line, since neither the magnitude nor the direction of the velocity vector changes. We can use Figure 5.7 to consider the two parts of Newton’s first law. Rather than contradicting our experience, Newton’s first law says that there must be a cause for any change in velocity (a change in either magnitude or direction) to occur. This cause is a net external force, which we defined earlier in the chapt

5.2 Newton's First Law - University Physics Volume 1 | OpenStax Skip to Content Go to accessibility page Keyboard shortcuts menu University Physics Volume 1 5.2 Newton's First Law University Physics Volume 1 5.2 Newton's First Law Contents Highlights Print Close 5.2 Newton's First Law By the end of this section, you will be able to: Describe Newton's first law of motion Recognize friction as an external force Define inertia Identify inertial reference frames Calculate equilibrium for a system Experience suggests that an object at rest remains at rest if left alone and that an object in motion

Explore this link on the map →

related reading