Inertia

Inertia

The property of matter by which it continues in its existing state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line unless acted on by an external force. Sometimes referred to as momentum, inertia is a property of matter that allows for scientists to describe how motion is changed by forces. It is the natural tendency of objects to remain in motion or to remain at rest.

The Main Idea

Newton challenged past assertions regarding laws of motion with his concept that objects in motion tend to stay in motion unless acted on by an external force. This is antithetical to the prior thought that objects naturally come to a state of rest.

A Mathematical Model

What are the mathematical equations that allow us to model this topic. For example [math]\displaystyle{ {\frac{d\vec{p}}{dt}}_{system} = \vec{F}_{net} }[/math] where p is the momentum of the system and F is the net force from the surroundings.

A Computational Model

How do we visualize or predict using this topic. Consider embedding some vpython code here Teach hands-on with GlowScript

Examples

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Connectedness

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History

Galileo preformed an experiment with two ramps. To begin, the two were set up at the same angle. Galileo observed that if a ball was released at one height, it would roll to the same height at which the ball was released. He then experimented with altering the angle of the second ramp. He concluded that even though it may take longer, when the angle is smaller, the ball will still roll up to the same height. Because the height was conserved, Galileo believed that if a ball was rolled from a ramp to a flat surface, it would stay in motion unless a force stopped it, such as friction.

See also

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Further reading

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External links

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References

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