AP Physics 1 Flashcards: Newtons First Law

What this deck covers

This deck focuses on Newtons First Law, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for AP Physics 1.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

Flashcard 1: What is the relationship between inertia and mass?

Answer: Directly proportional. More massive objects have greater resistance to motion changes.

Flashcard 2: If two people push a box equally from opposite sides, what is the net force?

Answer: Zero. Equal and opposite forces result in no net force.

Flashcard 3: How does mass affect an object's inertia?

Answer: Greater mass, greater inertia. Mass directly determines how much an object resists motion changes.

Flashcard 4: Describe motion when net force on an object is zero.

Answer: Constant velocity or at rest. Newton's First Law describes motion under equilibrium conditions.

Flashcard 5: Name the tendency of an object to resist changes in motion.

Answer: Inertia. Fundamental property that opposes any change in motion.

Flashcard 6: What will happen to a stationary object if a net force is applied?

Answer: It will accelerate. Net force causes change from rest to motion state.

Flashcard 7: If an object is moving at constant velocity, what is the net force?

Answer: Zero. Constant velocity indicates all forces are perfectly balanced.

Flashcard 8: What is the effect of friction on a moving object?

Answer: It opposes motion, creating a net force. Creates unbalanced force that causes deceleration over time.

Flashcard 9: Identify the term for the resistance to change in motion.

Answer: Inertia. The property that makes objects resist changes to their motion state.

Flashcard 10: What is the effect of friction on a moving object?

Answer: It opposes motion, creating a net force. Creates unbalanced force that causes deceleration over time.

Flashcard 11: Describe motion when net force on an object is zero.

Answer: Constant velocity or at rest. Newton's First Law describes motion under equilibrium conditions.

Flashcard 12: State the condition for an object to be in equilibrium.

Answer: Net external force is zero. When all forces balance out, no acceleration occurs.

Flashcard 13: What happens to an object's velocity if a net force suddenly stops acting?

Answer: Remains constant. Inertia maintains velocity when net force becomes zero.

Flashcard 14: Identify the force acting on a stationary object on a frictionless surface.

Answer: No net force. No friction or other forces to change motion state.

Flashcard 15: What is Newton's First Law of Motion?

Answer: An object remains at rest or in uniform motion unless acted on by a net external force. Also known as the law of inertia, fundamental principle of mechanics.

Flashcard 16: What is the unit of force in the International System of Units (SI)?

Answer: Newton (N). Standard unit for measuring force in physics calculations.

Flashcard 17: Identify the correct outcome: An unbalanced force causes uniform motion.

Answer: Incorrect, causes acceleration. Unbalanced forces create acceleration, not uniform motion.

Flashcard 18: What is Newton's First Law of Motion?

Answer: An object remains at rest or in uniform motion unless acted on by a net external force. Also known as the law of inertia, fundamental principle of mechanics.

Flashcard 19: What happens to an object in motion when no net force acts on it?

Answer: It continues in uniform motion. Objects maintain constant velocity when no net force acts on them.

Flashcard 20: State the condition for an object to be in equilibrium.

Answer: Net external force is zero. When all forces balance out, no acceleration occurs.

Flashcard 21: Choose the correct statement: Objects in space can move without force.

Answer: True, if no net force acts. Space has no friction, so objects maintain motion indefinitely.

Flashcard 22: What is the result of balanced forces acting on an object?

Answer: No change in motion. Equal and opposite forces cancel out, maintaining current motion state.

Flashcard 23: If an object experiences zero acceleration, what can be said about the net force?

Answer: Net force is zero. Zero acceleration implies forces are balanced per Newton's laws.

Flashcard 24: What happens to an object if all forces cancel each other?

Answer: No change in motion. Equilibrium condition maintains current state of motion.

Flashcard 25: If two people push a box equally from opposite sides, what is the net force?

Answer: Zero. Equal and opposite forces result in no net force.

Flashcard 26: In a tug-of-war, if both sides pull equally, what is the net force?

Answer: Zero. Equal forces in opposite directions cancel completely.

Flashcard 27: What term describes forces that do not change an object's motion?

Answer: Balanced forces. Forces that cancel each other out completely.

Flashcard 28: Which force acts against motion and affects velocity?

Answer: Friction. Opposes motion and creates net force when present.

Flashcard 29: Choose the correct statement: Objects in space can move without force.

Answer: True, if no net force acts. Space has no friction, so objects maintain motion indefinitely.

Flashcard 30: What is the relationship between inertia and mass?

Answer: Directly proportional. More massive objects have greater resistance to motion changes.

Flashcard 31: If an object experiences zero acceleration, what can be said about the net force?

Answer: Net force is zero. Zero acceleration implies forces are balanced per Newton's laws.

Flashcard 32: What quantity is needed to overcome inertia?

Answer: Force. External force required to overcome natural resistance to change.

Flashcard 33: Which law describes the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration?

Answer: Newton's Second Law. Expressed mathematically as $F = ma$ for net force calculations.

Flashcard 34: What happens to an object at rest when no net force acts on it?

Answer: It remains at rest. Newton's First Law states objects at rest stay at rest without net force.

Flashcard 35: Define equilibrium in terms of forces.

Answer: Sum of forces equals zero. Mathematical condition for Newton's First Law to apply.

Flashcard 36: In the absence of external forces, what remains constant for a moving object?

Answer: Velocity. No external forces means no change in motion state.

Flashcard 37: For an object moving at constant speed in a circle, is there a net force?

Answer: Yes, centripetal force. Circular motion requires constant inward force for direction change.

Flashcard 38: Explain using Newton's First Law: A spacecraft coasting in space.

Answer: No net force, constant velocity. No external forces act, so spacecraft maintains constant velocity.

Flashcard 39: What is the effect of removing a net force from a moving object?

Answer: Continues in uniform motion. Inertia maintains the existing motion when forces are removed.

Flashcard 40: What happens to an object's velocity if a net force suddenly stops acting?

Answer: Remains constant. Inertia maintains velocity when net force becomes zero.

Flashcard 41: What happens to an object in motion when no net force acts on it?

Answer: It continues in uniform motion. Objects maintain constant velocity when no net force acts on them.

Flashcard 42: What is required to change an object's state of motion?

Answer: Net external force. Only unbalanced forces can alter an object's motion state.

Flashcard 43: Find and correct the error: A net force can be zero if forces are unbalanced.

Answer: Correct: Forces must be balanced. Zero net force requires balanced forces, not unbalanced ones.

Flashcard 44: What term describes forces that do not change an object's motion?

Answer: Balanced forces. Forces that cancel each other out completely.

Flashcard 45: If an object is moving at constant velocity, what is the net force?

Answer: Zero. Constant velocity indicates all forces are perfectly balanced.

Flashcard 46: State the principle that explains why passengers lurch forward in a stopping car.

Answer: Inertia. Objects continue moving forward when vehicle suddenly stops.

Flashcard 47: What type of force must act for a change in motion to occur?

Answer: Net external force. Only unbalanced forces can cause acceleration or deceleration.

Flashcard 48: In the absence of external forces, what remains constant for a moving object?

Answer: Velocity. No external forces means no change in motion state.

Flashcard 49: What will happen to a stationary object if a net force is applied?

Answer: It will accelerate. Net force causes change from rest to motion state.

Flashcard 50: Name the tendency of an object to resist changes in motion.

Answer: Inertia. Fundamental property that opposes any change in motion.

Flashcard 51: Define net force.

Answer: The vector sum of all forces acting on an object. Determines whether an object will accelerate or remain in equilibrium.

Flashcard 52: How does mass affect an object's inertia?

Answer: Greater mass, greater inertia. Mass directly determines how much an object resists motion changes.

Flashcard 53: Which force acts against motion and affects velocity?

Answer: Friction. Opposes motion and creates net force when present.

Flashcard 54: State the principle that explains why passengers lurch forward in a stopping car.

Answer: Inertia. Objects continue moving forward when vehicle suddenly stops.

Flashcard 55: Define equilibrium in terms of forces.

Answer: Sum of forces equals zero. Mathematical condition for Newton's First Law to apply.

Flashcard 56: Identify the force required to maintain constant velocity in the absence of friction.

Answer: No force is required. Objects naturally maintain constant velocity without external forces.

Flashcard 57: Predict the motion: A car moving at constant speed on a straight road.

Answer: Net force is zero. Constant speed indicates balanced forces acting on the vehicle.

Flashcard 58: What property of an object quantifies its inertia?

Answer: Mass. Greater mass means greater resistance to changes in motion.

Flashcard 59: Identify the force acting on a stationary object on a frictionless surface.

Answer: No net force. No friction or other forces to change motion state.

Flashcard 60: Identify the correct outcome: An unbalanced force causes uniform motion.

Answer: Incorrect, causes acceleration. Unbalanced forces create acceleration, not uniform motion.

Flashcard 61: What is the unit of force in the International System of Units (SI)?

Answer: Newton (N). Standard unit for measuring force in physics calculations.

Flashcard 62: What quantity is needed to overcome inertia?

Answer: Force. External force required to overcome natural resistance to change.

Flashcard 63: In a tug-of-war, if both sides pull equally, what is the net force?

Answer: Zero. Equal forces in opposite directions cancel completely.

Flashcard 64: Identify the term for the resistance to change in motion.

Answer: Inertia. The property that makes objects resist changes to their motion state.

Flashcard 65: What happens to an object if all forces cancel each other?

Answer: No change in motion. Equilibrium condition maintains current state of motion.

Flashcard 66: Identify the force required to maintain constant velocity in the absence of friction.

Answer: No force is required. Objects naturally maintain constant velocity without external forces.

Flashcard 67: Which law describes the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration?

Answer: Newton's Second Law. Expressed mathematically as $F = ma$ for net force calculations.

Flashcard 68: State the law that explains why a book remains on a table.

Answer: Newton's First Law. Gravity and normal force balance, creating equilibrium state.

Flashcard 69: State the law that explains why a book remains on a table.

Answer: Newton's First Law. Gravity and normal force balance, creating equilibrium state.

Flashcard 70: What property of an object quantifies its inertia?

Answer: Mass. Greater mass means greater resistance to changes in motion.

Flashcard 71: What type of force must act for a change in motion to occur?

Answer: Net external force. Only unbalanced forces can cause acceleration or deceleration.

Flashcard 72: Predict the motion: A car moving at constant speed on a straight road.

Answer: Net force is zero. Constant speed indicates balanced forces acting on the vehicle.

Flashcard 73: What is required to change an object's state of motion?

Answer: Net external force. Only unbalanced forces can alter an object's motion state.

Flashcard 74: For an object moving at constant speed in a circle, is there a net force?

Answer: Yes, centripetal force. Circular motion requires constant inward force for direction change.

Flashcard 75: What is the result of balanced forces acting on an object?

Answer: No change in motion. Equal and opposite forces cancel out, maintaining current motion state.

Flashcard 76: What is the effect of removing a net force from a moving object?

Answer: Continues in uniform motion. Inertia maintains the existing motion when forces are removed.

Flashcard 77: Find and correct the error: A net force can be zero if forces are unbalanced.

Answer: Correct: Forces must be balanced. Zero net force requires balanced forces, not unbalanced ones.

Flashcard 78: Define net force.

Answer: The vector sum of all forces acting on an object. Determines whether an object will accelerate or remain in equilibrium.

Flashcard 79: What happens to an object at rest when no net force acts on it?

Answer: It remains at rest. Newton's First Law states objects at rest stay at rest without net force.

Flashcard 80: Explain using Newton's First Law: A spacecraft coasting in space.

Answer: No net force, constant velocity. No external forces act, so spacecraft maintains constant velocity.