Which statement best describes Newton's first law?

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Multiple Choice

Which statement best describes Newton's first law?

Motion stays the same unless something outside pushes or pulls on it. This is inertia in action: if there’s no net external force, an object at rest remains at rest, and a moving object keeps moving with the same speed and in the same direction. Only an unbalanced force can change that motion, which is why this statement best captures Newton’s first law. The other ideas describe energy conservation, action-reaction forces, and how acceleration relates to force and mass, which are important but describe different principles.

Motion stays the same unless something outside pushes or pulls on it. This is inertia in action: if there’s no net external force, an object at rest remains at rest, and a moving object keeps moving with the same speed and in the same direction. Only an unbalanced force can change that motion, which is why this statement best captures Newton’s first law. The other ideas describe energy conservation, action-reaction forces, and how acceleration relates to force and mass, which are important but describe different principles.

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