Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
The laws of motion are three fundamental principles formulated by Sir Isaac Newton to describe how objects move under the influence of forces. They provide a framework for understanding classical mechanics.
Inertia refers to an object's resistance to changes in its state of motion. An object at rest tends to stay at rest, while an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an external force.
Force: Force is any push or pull exerted on an object that causes it to accelerate or deform. It has both magnitude and direction.
Friction: Friction is the force that opposes the motion of objects in contact with each other. It can be static (objects at rest) or kinetic (objects in motion).