โš™๏ธap physics c: mechanics review

Newton's first law of motion

Written by the Fiveable Content Team โ€ข Last updated August 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโ€ขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โ€ข Last updated August 2025

Definition

Newton's first law of motion, also known as the law of inertia, states that an object at rest will stay at rest and an object in motion will stay in motion with a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force.

"Newton's first law of motion" also found in:

2,589 studying โ†’