Question

What are several technology where the principle of the first law of motion being applied?

Answer 1

Newton's first law of motion states that an object at rest remains at rest and an object in motion remains in motion with the same velocity unless acted upon by what we call an unbalanced force. Let's break this law down by defining some key terms. Velocity is the speed of an object in a specified direction. An unbalanced force is an external force that changes the motion of an object. When an object is at rest or moving at a constant velocity, all the forces acting on it are balanced.

For example,

• My cup of coffee is resting on my kitchen table as I make this lesson. The force of gravity pulling down is balanced by the force of my kitchen table pushing up on my cup of coffee. Now, if I am to move my coffee, I must apply an external force to disrupt the balance. Thank goodness my muscles are strong enough to apply such a force so I can enjoy my cup of coffee. Ah, now that's good joe! Newton's first law of motion is also referred to as the law of inertia. Inertia is simply the resistance to change in motion. In short, objects tend to keep doing what they are already doing.
• The motion of a ball falling down through the atmosphere, or a model rocket being launched up into the atmosphere are both examples of Newton's first law.
• The motion of a kite when the wind changes can also be described by the first law.