Explain each statem ent using inertia o r Newtons First Law of Motio n. a) You should not sit in the bed (back) of a pickup trick when it is moving . b) It is hard to get a car moving on very slippery ice. c) During lift off, astronauts are placed horizontally in the capsule rather than vertically.
a) According to Newton's First Law of Motion, an object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction, unless acted upon by an external force. So, when the pickup truck is moving, the passengers in the bed of the truck will also be moving at the same speed. If the truck suddenly stops or changes direction, the passengers in the bed will continue moving in their original direction due to inertia, potentially resulting in injuries.
b) Newton's First Law of Motion states that an object at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by an external force. When a car is on very slippery ice, there is reduced friction between the tires and the surface, making it difficult for the car to start moving. The car will resist changing its state of rest due to inertia, making it hard to overcome this force and accelerate on icy surfaces.
c) In the context of lift-off, Newton's First Law of Motion states that an object in motion will continue in motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an external force. When a spacecraft lifts off, it experiences a powerful upward force. Placing astronauts horizontally in the capsule helps distribute the force more evenly over their bodies. This position allows them to better manage the acceleration and G-forces experienced during lift-off, allowing them to withstand the external forces acting on their bodies more effectively.
a) Newton's First Law of Motion, also known as the law of inertia, states that an object at rest will stay at rest and an object in motion will stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an external force. In the case of sitting in the bed (back) of a moving pickup truck, if the truck suddenly stops, the passenger in the back would continue moving forward due to their inertia, potentially leading to injury. Therefore, the statement recommends not sitting in the bed of a moving pickup truck to prevent any potential harm.
b) In the statement, the difficulty of getting a car moving on slippery ice can be explained by Newton's First Law of Motion. Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion. When a car is on slippery ice, the friction between the tires and the ice is significantly reduced. As a result, it becomes harder to overcome the inertia of the car, hindering its ability to start moving or accelerate easily.
c) The statement about placing astronauts horizontally in the capsule during lift-off is related to Newton's First Law of Motion. When a spacecraft takes off vertically, the sudden acceleration can exert a significant force on the astronauts in the direction opposite to the acceleration. Placing the astronauts horizontally allows the force to be distributed over their whole body, reducing the risk of injury or discomfort associated with the strong acceleration. This positioning helps minimize the effects of the astronauts' inertia and ensure their safety during lift-off.
a) According to Newton's First Law of Motion or the principle of inertia, an object at rest tends to stay at rest, and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and direction, unless acted upon by an external force. In the case of sitting in the bed (back) of a moving pickup truck, if you are sitting at rest and the truck suddenly accelerates or decelerates, your body will resist the change in motion. Due to inertia, your body will try to maintain its state of rest and will be pushed backward or forward, which can lead to a loss of balance or even falling out of the truck bed.
b) Newton's First Law of Motion also helps us explain the difficulty of getting a car moving on very slippery ice. In this scenario, an object at rest (the car) requires an external force (such as the friction between the tires and the road) to overcome its inertia and set it in motion. On icy surfaces, the friction between the tires and the road decreases significantly, making it harder for the car to overcome inertia and initiate motion. This lack of traction reduces the force available to overcome inertia, resulting in a car that struggles to gain traction and move forward.
c) The placement of astronauts horizontally in the capsule during lift-off is also based on Newton's First Law of Motion. When a rocket lifts off, it experiences significant acceleration, subjecting the astronauts to increased gravitational forces. By positioning the astronauts horizontally, their bodies are better aligned with the direction of the acceleration, minimizing the forces acting along their spines. This positioning helps distribute the forces more evenly throughout their bodies, reducing the potential for injury or discomfort caused by sudden or excessive forces acting on specific body parts.
In all three scenarios, Newton's First Law of Motion, also known as the law of inertia, provides us with a fundamental understanding of why objects behave as they do in terms of motion and resistance to changes in motion.