Computer Science I / Newton's Laws and Forces
Practice question · Multiple choice

A book rests on a table and a puck glides at constant velocity across frictionless ice. Newton's first law treats these as the same case. Why?

Hints
  1. State what the first law says about an object with no net force on it.
  2. Ask what distinguishes a velocity of zero from any other constant velocity.
Show the answer

D. Because both have zero net force, and rest is not a special state.

Why

The first law makes no distinction between rest and uniform motion, rest is the case where the constant velocity is zero. That is exactly what Aristotle got wrong: the intuition that motion needs a continuous cause comes from living in a world full of friction. It also implies no experiment distinguishes rest from constant velocity, which is Galilean relativity.

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