Sunday, February 5, 2012

Which states that motion with a constant velocity indicates no force?

To pull a wagon across a lawn at a constant velocity, you must exert a steady force. Reconcile this fact with newton's first law, which states that motion with a constant velocity indicates no force?Which states that motion with a constant velocity indicates no force?The First law is the law of inertia, which states that an object at rest/motion will stay at rest/motion unless an outside force acts upon it.



The short answer is friction. The long answer is that because friction causes a constant force against ALL moving objects, unless they are floating through a vacuum, you must also exert a constant force in order to keep the wagon moving.Which states that motion with a constant velocity indicates no force?It indicates no NET force. So something counteracts the force you push with. There's something you have to push against to keep the wagon moving. What could that other force be?

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