What is inertia?(1 point)
Responses
a force that acts on an object at rest
a force that acts on an object at rest
the speed and direction of an object in motion
the speed and direction of an object in motion
the motion of an object
the motion of an object
an object’s resistance to a change its motion
an object’s resistance to a change its motion
an object’s resistance to a change in its motion
The correct answer is: an object’s resistance to a change in its motion.
Inertia is a fundamental property of matter that describes an object's resistance to changes in its state of motion. The term "inertia" was first introduced by Sir Isaac Newton in his First Law of Motion, also known as the law of inertia. According to this law, an object will remain at rest or continue moving in a straight line at a constant speed unless acted upon by an external force.
To understand inertia, you can think of a scenario where you are riding in a car and suddenly the driver makes a sharp turn. Due to your body's inertia, you have a tendency to continue moving in a straight line. As a result, you feel pushed sideways, towards the window on the side of the turn. This is because your body is resisting the change in motion caused by the turn.
Inertia is proportional to the mass of an object. The more massive an object is, the greater its inertia. This is why larger objects are more difficult to set in motion or stop compared to smaller objects.
In summary, inertia is an object's natural tendency to resist changes in its state of motion, whether at rest or in motion. It is an important concept in physics that helps explain how objects behave when forces act upon them.