The First Law of Motion states that an object at rest will remain at rest, and an object in motion will remain in motion at a constant speed and in a straight line unless acted upon by an external force. This can be seen in examples such as a book on a table, a car moving at a constant speed, a ball thrown into the air, an astronaut floating in space, and a car parked on a hill.
Examples of First Law of Motion
Here are a few examples, how First law of Motion is employed in daily life:
1. Cars
Imagine you are sitting in a car and the driver suddenly stops. Your body will continue to move forward until it is stopped by the seatbelt or the dashboard. This is because of inertia. Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its motion.
2. Shopping carts
When you are pushing a heavy object, such as a shopping cart, it takes more force to get it moving than it does to keep it moving. This is because the object’s inertia is resisting its motion. Once the object is moving, inertia keeps it moving forward. This is why you can coast on a shopping cart for a while without having to push it.
3. Biking
When you are riding a bike and you coast, you can keep moving without pedaling for a while because of inertia. Inertia keeps the bike moving forward even though you are not pedaling. However, eventually, inertia will be overcome by friction and air resistance. This is why you will eventually slow down and stop if you do not pedal.
4. Baseball
When you are playing baseball and you hit the ball, the ball keeps moving forward until it is stopped by gravity, air resistance, or the ground. This is because of inertia. When you hit the ball, you transfer your energy to the ball. The ball then uses its inertia to keep moving forward.
5. Ice skating
When you are ice skating and you push off the wall, you start moving forward because of inertia. Inertia keeps you moving forward even though you are no longer pushing off the wall. You can also glide forward for a while without pushing because of inertia. However, eventually, inertia will be overcome by friction and air resistance. This is why you will eventually slow down and stop if you do not push off again.
6. Cars turning corners
When you are driving a car and you turn a corner, your body tends to want to continue moving in a straight line. This is because of inertia. Your body has inertia, which means it wants to keep moving in the same direction. When you turn a corner, the car is changing direction, but your body is still trying to move in the original direction. This is why you feel like you are being pushed to the outside of the car when you turn a corner.
7. Buses
When you are standing on a bus and the bus suddenly starts moving, you tend to fall backward. This is because of inertia. Your body has inertia, which means it wants to stay at rest. When the bus starts moving, your body is still trying to stay at rest. This is why you fall backward.
8. Chairs
When you are sitting in a chair and you stand up quickly, the chair tends to slide backward. This is because of inertia. The chair has inertia, which means it wants to stay at rest. When you stand up quickly, you are pushing off of the chair. This force causes the chair to slide backward.
