This law states that objects like to keep doing what they're already doing. If something is sitting still, it will stay still unless something makes it move (another force). And if something is already moving, it will keep moving in the same way unless something makes it stop or change direction.
Example 1: A ball will keep rolling on the floor until it bumps into an object or the friction between the ball and the floor slows it down.
Example 2: A book will keep sitting on a table until someone moves it.
Find out about Newton's First Law of Motion, plus a little bit of baseball, with this animation.
This law says that the bigger the force you use to push or pull something, the faster it will move. And the heavier something is, the harder it is to move. Force is equal to mass × acceleration.
Example 1: If you kick a soccer ball hard, it will move faster than just giving it a little tap.
Example 2: A heavy box will be harder to move than a light box.
This law says that for every action (push or pull), there is an equal and opposite reaction (push or pull). So if you push on something, it will push back on you with the same amount of force, but in the opposite direction.
Example 1: If you kick a soccer ball, the ball pushes back on your foot with the same amount of force.
Example 2: When you jump off a diving board, the board pushes back on you with the same amount of force that you push down on it.
Drag each explanation to the corresponding Law of Motion/ image.
The cart and the person are pushing with equal force in opposite directions.
The cart stays at rest and the cart moves when pushed.
When pushed, the empty cart moves faster and farther than the full cart.
First Law of Motion: Inertia
Second Law of Motion: Force & Acceleration
Third Law of Motion: Action & Reaction
Compare & contrast the descriptions on the left as either a force of Friction, Gravity, or both.
Friction | Gravity | Both | |
|---|---|---|---|
Works against motion | |||
Can change an object's motion | |||
Stronger with massive objects | |||
Between surfaces in contact | |||
Pulls objects towards each other | |||
Objects may not be in contact | |||
Stronger with rougher objects | |||
Force between two objects |
Drag and drop the corresponding law of motion for the scenario described. Some labels may be used more than once.
First Law of Motion: Inertia
Second Law of Motion: Force & Acceleration
Third Law of Motion: Action & reaction
Directions: Support the claim using evidence and reasoning.
Claim: The heavier something is, the harder it is to move.
Provide 3 examples
Dag and drop a description and an example for each law of motion.
When I kick a soccer ball harder, it moves through the air faster.
More force will move an object faster than less force.
Objects keep doing what they are doing until a force acts upon them.
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
When I hammer a nail on the wall, the nail pushes back on the hammer.
My fingers are still until I move them to type.
First Law of Motion: Inertia
Second Law of Motion: Force & Acceleration
Third Law of Motion: Action & Reaction
What will an object at rest continue to do?
What will an object in motion continue to do?
What must happen to overpower an object's inertia?
Which is an example of Newton's First Law?
Which law of motion is the video about?
In the baseball example, what example of an unbalanced force acted on the baseball when rolling through the grass?
In the last example, why does the baseball continue in motion forever?