Is Every Example Listed an Illustration of Newton's First Law?

[shahmeer]

Homework Statement

Which situations below are examples of Newton's First Law?

a) Your herd jerking back when car accelerates rapidly.
b) Hitting shoe on wall to knock off snow.
c) An apple hanging motionless on a tree.
d) All of the above


I know Newton's first law states that objects in motion stay in motion and objects at rest tend to stay at rest; the law essentially describes inertia.

The only situation I am absolutely sure about is a but according to the answer key the answer is d. I guess b could work, the shoe stops but snow keeps moving but I am not sure.

Any clarification would help me greatly. Thanks.

 

[Millacol88]

Yes, "d" would be the correct response. Your head tends to want to continue in its current state of motion, so you percieve it being jerked back when the car accelerates. Your right about the shoe with the snow. And the apple hanging in the tree has essentially no "push or pull" or outside influences on it so wit will maintain its state of motion (in this case staying still).

That clear things up?

 

[shahmeer]

Yes, thank you

 

[PhanthomJay]

I know Newton's first law states that objects in motion stay in motion and objects at rest tend to stay at rest unless acted on by a net unbalanced force.

Note the comment above in red.

 

[asteriatic]

All of the above situations can be considered examples of Newton's First Law. Let's break down each one to better understand how they are connected to the law.

a) Your herd jerking back when car accelerates rapidly: This situation demonstrates the law of inertia, as the herd of animals are at rest and tend to stay at rest until a force (in this case, the car accelerating) acts upon them. This sudden force causes them to move in the opposite direction, showcasing the law's principle that objects in motion tend to stay in motion.

b) Hitting shoe on wall to knock off snow: This situation also demonstrates the law of inertia. The shoe is at rest and tends to stay at rest until a force (your hand hitting it) acts upon it. This force causes the shoe to move and knock off the snow, showcasing the law's principle that objects at rest tend to stay at rest.

c) An apple hanging motionless on a tree: This situation may seem like it contradicts the law, as the apple appears to be at rest. However, the apple is actually in a state of equilibrium, meaning that the forces acting on it are balanced and there is no overall acceleration. This is still an example of the law of inertia, as the apple remains motionless until an external force acts upon it.

Overall, all of these situations demonstrate the concept of inertia, which is at the core of Newton's First Law. It is important to note that the law applies to all objects, regardless of their size or mass, and is a fundamental principle in understanding the behavior of objects in motion. I hope this clarification helps.