Is Newton's first law a particular case of the second?

AI Thread Summary
Newton's first law states that a body's velocity remains constant in the absence of external forces, which can be seen as a specific case of the second law, where a null force results in no acceleration. The first law emphasizes the concept of inertial frames, which are fundamental to classical mechanics. While the first law can be derived from the second law mathematically, it serves a broader purpose in defining the conditions under which classical mechanics operates. The discussion highlights the importance of the first law in establishing the framework for understanding motion. Overall, the first law is essential for clarifying the concept of inertia within physics.
Hobold
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There is not much to explain my question, really. First law says that the velocity of a body remains constant if there is no external force acting, which is just equivalent to second law, as a null force is equivalent to null acceleration, as mass cannot be null.
 
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Yep. I think the first law is only there to draw emphasis to this particular case.
 
mathematically you can get first law from the second, but I think there is more to first law than that.First law provides definition of inertial frames and classical mechanics assumes the existence of such frames.
 
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