I need help answering a few questions?
What is intertia? How is it involved in the first law of motion?
Two children who are fighting over a toy pull on it from opposite sides. The result is a stand off. Explain this in terms of the net force.
These questions are for my study guide for a test I have and I am not sure what the answers are and I want to make sure that I get it right. Please help me and thank you!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inertia
Sure, I'd be happy to help you with your questions!
1. What is inertia? How is it involved in the first law of motion?
Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist any change in its state of motion. In simpler terms, it is the resistance of an object to start moving if it is at rest, or to stop moving if it is already in motion. The first law of motion, also known as Newton's law of inertia, states that an object at rest will stay at rest, and an object in motion will stay in motion with a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force. In other words, inertia is involved in the first law of motion because it explains why objects tend to keep doing what they are already doing, unless a force is applied to change their state of motion.
2. Two children who are fighting over a toy pull on it from opposite sides. The result is a stand-off. Explain this in terms of the net force.
In this scenario, the net force is the sum of the forces acting on the toy. When the two children pull on the toy from opposite sides, their forces are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction. According to Newton's second law of motion, the net force acting on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration. Since the toy is not accelerating or moving in any direction, the net force on the toy must be zero. In other words, the forces applied by the children cancel each other out, resulting in a stand-off where the toy does not move.
To summarize, the concept of inertia helps explain why objects resist changes in their state of motion, while the concept of net force helps understand how forces acting on an object determine its motion or lack thereof.
I hope this explanation helps you understand the concepts better! Let me know if you have any further questions.