Final answer:
Newton's first law of motion states that a ball will continue to roll until an unbalanced force is applied. In the case of a ball rolling across the gym floor, this unbalanced force is usually friction which will eventually bring the ball to a stop.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Newton's first law of motion, a ball rolling across the gym floor after an unbalanced force is applied will continue to roll until an unbalanced force is applied. This means that the ball will not stop on its own; it will only come to rest when forces such as friction or another force act upon it to change its state of motion. Hence, the correct answer is option b: The ball will continue to roll until an unbalanced force is applied.
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 at a constant velocity, unless acted upon by a net external force. This implies that an object, like a ball rolling across the floor, would theoretically continue forever in the same straight line at the same speed if not for external forces like gravity or friction. In the real world, the ball will eventually slow down and stop due to friction between the ball and the gym floor which is the unbalanced force that alters its state of motion.