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Worksheet 6: Newton’s First Law of Motion

Learning Competency: Explain the subtle distinction between Newton’s First Law of Motion (or law of
Inertia) and Galileo’s assertion that force is not necessary to sustain horizontal motion (S11/12PS-IVd-51)

Materials Needed: Bottle, water, coin, card, cloth

The Task

Activity 1: Keep Me Standing

Guide Questions:
1. Which one is easier to pull the cloth out without moving the bottle? Why?
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2. Which between the bottles has greater resistance to motion?
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3. How is mass related to inertia? Explain your answer.
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Activity 2: The Coin Drop Experiment: Keep Me Falling

Guide Questions:
1. What will happen with the coin if you quickly pull the card? Explain your answer.
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2. If you will pull the card slowly, do you think you will get the same result? Justify your answer.
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LEARN ABOUT IT!
Newton's first law of motion states that "An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion
with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force." Objects tend to "keep on
doing what they're doing." In fact, it is the natural tendency of objects to resist changes in their state of motion. This
tendency to resist changes in their state of motion is described as inertia.
Inertia is the resistance an object has to a change in its state of motion. Newton's conception of inertia stood in
direct opposition to more popular conceptions about motion. The dominant thought prior to Newton's day was that it
was the natural tendency of objects to come to a rest position. Moving objects, so it was believed, would eventually stop
moving; a force was necessary to keep an object moving. But if left to itself, a moving object would eventually come to
rest and an object at rest would stay at rest; thus, the idea that dominated people's thinking for nearly 2000 years prior
to Newton was that it was the natural tendency of all objects to assume a rest position.
Forces Don't Keep Objects Moving
Isaac Newton built on Galileo's thoughts about motion. Newton's first law of motion declares that a force is not
needed to keep an object in motion. Slide a book across a table and watch it slide to a rest position. The book in motion
on the tabletop does not come to a rest position because of the absence of a force; rather it is the presence of a force -
that force being the force of friction - that brings the book to a rest position. In the absence of a force of friction, the
book would continue in motion with the same speed and direction - forever! (Or at least to the end of the tabletop.) A
force is not required to keep a moving book in motion. In actuality, it is a force that brings the book to rest.
Mass as a Measure of the Amount of Inertia
All objects resist changes in their state of motion. All objects have this tendency - they have inertia. But do some
objects have more of a tendency to resist changes than others? Absolutely yes! The tendency of an object to resist
changes in its state of motion varies with mass. Mass is that quantity that is solely dependent upon the inertia of an
object. The more inertia that an object has, the more mass that it has. A more massive object has a greater tendency to
resist changes in its state of motion.
 Galileo asserted that if friction was absent, the ball would continue to move with constant velocity. It would continue
its state of motion unless a push or a pull compels it to change that state. Galileo called this tendency of materials to resist
change in their state of motion as inertia. His assertion was the inspiration for Newton’s 1st law of motion. They both implied
that no force is needed to keep the motion of an object and the object’s inertia would keep it from changing its state of
motion.

Is there a difference between Galileo’s assertion and Newton’s first law of motion?
There is a subtle difference. The difference lies in the concept of force. Galileo knew about friction but did not know about
the concept of force. He used the term 'push and pull' to signify forces. It was Sir Isaac Newton who defined the concept of
force and its relation to motion. Key Points!

 à The concept of inertia was a result of Galileo’s studies of motion.

 à Inertia refers to the tendency of any material to change its state of motion.
 à Galileo asserted that if a rolling ball was ‘left alone’ it will continue to move with constant velocity.
 à The only difference between Galileo’s assertion and Newton’s first law of motion is the concept of force.
 à Galileo did not know yet the concept of force, and it was Newton who finally explains the nature of forces.

EVALUATION
Directions: Read and analyze the following questions carefully. Write only the letter of your choice.
1. Imagine a place in the cosmos far from all gravitational and frictional influences. Suppose that you visit that place and
throw a rock horizontally, what will happen to the rock?
a. gradually stop. c. it will still be moving but later comes to stop
b. continue in motion in the same direction at constant speed. d. it will not move
2. A 2-kg object is moving horizontally with a speed of 4 m/s. How much net force is required to keep the object moving
at that speed and in that direction?
a. 0 N b. 2 N c. 4 N d. 8 N
3. Mac and Tosh are arguing in the cafeteria. Mac says that if he flings the Jell-O with a greater speed it will have a
greater inertia. Tosh argues that inertia does not depend upon speed, but rather upon mass. Who explains it correctly?
a. Mac b. Tosh c. Both d. Neither of the two
4. Fred spends most Sunday afternoons at rest on the sofa, watching pro football games and consuming large quantities
of food. What affect (if any) does this practice have upon his inertia? Fred's inertia will _________.
a. remain the same b. decrease c. increase d. cannot be determined
5. Ben is being chased through the woods by a bull moose that he was attempting to photograph. The enormous mass of
the bull moose is extremely intimidating. Yet, if Ben makes a zigzag pattern through the woods, he will be able to use the
large mass of the moose to his own advantage. Why is this true?
a. The large mass of the bull moose means that the bull moose has a large inertia.
b. The large mass doesn’t affect the bull moose inertia.
c. Its large mass means it has a lower inertia.
d. Its resistance to motion decreases due to its large mass.
6. According to Galileo, how far will the ball move from inclined track 1 to inclined track 2? (Refer to the image provided)
a. To nearly twice the height as where it originally started
b. To the nearly the same height as where it originally started
c. To nearly half its original height
d. To about one quarter its original height
7. Which of the following correctly states the Law of Inertia? An object _________
a. at rest will remain at rest unless acted on by an outside force.
b. will continue moving at the same velocity unless an outside force acts on it.
c. will continue moving in a straight line unless an outside force acts on it.
d. all of the above
8. Which of the following can the concept of Inertia be applied?
a. moving objects. c. both moving and non-moving objects.
b. objects at rest. d. both moving and non-moving objects but depends on the location
9. After a cannon ball is fired into a frictionless space, the amount of force needed to keep it going equals
__________________.
a. twice the force with which it was fired. c. one half the force with which it was fired.
b. the same amount of force with which it was fired. d. zero, since no force is necessary to keep it moving.
10. Which has more mass, a kilogram of feathers or a kilogram of iron?
a. The feathers c. Neither. The masses are equal.
b. The iron d. Cannot be determined

Prepared by: Ms. Cañada Parent’s Signature: _______________________