Experiment on Newtons First Law

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SUMMARY

This discussion focuses on practical demonstrations of Newton's First Law of Motion, emphasizing real-world examples such as stamping snow off a foot and shaking hands to remove water. Participants highlight that these actions illustrate the principle that an object at rest stays at rest unless acted upon by a net force. Additionally, the movement of celestial bodies is cited as a consistent application of Newton's laws, reinforcing their relevance in both everyday scenarios and astronomical contexts.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Newton's Laws of Motion
  • Basic knowledge of force and motion concepts
  • Familiarity with real-world physics applications
  • Observation skills for practical demonstrations
NEXT STEPS
  • Research practical experiments demonstrating Newton's First Law
  • Explore the effects of net force on motion in various scenarios
  • Study celestial mechanics and the application of Newton's laws in astronomy
  • Investigate additional real-life examples of inertia and motion
USEFUL FOR

Students of physics, educators seeking teaching resources, and anyone interested in understanding the practical implications of Newton's First Law of Motion.

spikehoward
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I am wondering if anyone knows of a good resource to see Newtons first law in action. For example, a block being pulled by increasing force until it moves?
 
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I think stamping your foot on the ground to get snow off is a great example: you put your foot and snow into motion. You apply a net force to stop your foot but not to the snow so it remains in motion, coming off your foot.

The same argument applies to shaking your hands to dry them...and to throwing anything.

The first law is also consistent with things usually staying where you put them.
 
spikehoward said:
to see Newtons first law in action
Look up in the (night is best) sky and see the planets and all the rest of the stuff up there, moving and obeying N1 and N2 to a pretty good degree of accuracy.
 

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