Likewise, an object in motion will stay in motion until a force acts on it and causes its velocity to change.įor further thought: Why do wheels and tops eventually stop spinning, without appearing to be touched by a force? Newton’s Second Law of Motion
This means that an object at rest will stay at rest until a force causes it to move. Newton’s First Law of Motion, also known as the Law of Inertia, states that an object’s velocity will not change unless it is acted on by an outside force. Newton’s Laws Defined Inertia: Newton’s First Law of Motion When published in 1687, the three laws were unique in that they used mathematical formulas to explain the natural world. Sir Isaac Newton’s laws of motion form the basic principles of modern physics.
