Question

The law requires all people riding in a car to wear seat belts. If the car suddenly stops, the seat belts hold the passengers in place. How does Newton's first law of motion apply when a person is not wearing a seat belt?

a. The passengers will continue moving forward due to inertia.
b. The passengers will move backward into the seat.
c. The passengers will lean into another passenger's seat.
d. The passengers will not be affected by the sudden stop of the car.

Answer 1

Newton's first law of motion, also known as the law of inertia, applies when a person is not wearing a seat belt by causing the passengers to continue moving forward due to inertia.

Step-by-step explanation:

Newton's first law of motion, also known as the law of inertia, states that a body at rest remains at rest or, if moving, remains in motion in a straight line at a constant speed, unless acted on by a net external force.

When a person is not wearing a seat belt in a car that suddenly stops, Newton's first law applies by causing the passengers to continue moving forward due to inertia.

This is because the passengers in the car are also in motion and have momentum, and the seat belts provide the external force necessary to stop their forward motion and prevent them from being thrown forward.