Newton's First Law of Motion

7th Grade40 minutesNGSS MS-PS2-2

Learning Objective

I can explain how Newton's First Law applies to objects at rest and in motion.

Key Concepts

Newton's First Law states that an object will stay at rest or move with a constant velocity unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

An unbalanced force is required to change an object's state of motion; if forces are balanced, the object's motion remains unchanged.

In real-world scenarios, objects in motion tend to stop due to unbalanced forces like friction and air resistance, which counteract the motion.

Practice Questions

This lesson includes 5 practice questions to reinforce learning.

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1. According to Newton's First Law, what will an object at rest do?

2. Explain, in your own words, what is meant by the term 'inertia' and how it relates to Newton's First Law.

3. Describe a scenario where an object is in motion but eventually comes to a stop. Explain what forces are acting on the object to cause it to stop, relating your answer to Newton's First Law.

...and 2 more questions

Educational Video

More on Newton's first law of motion | Physics | Khan Academy

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