What are Newton's three laws of motion comprised of?

Study for the SDI Introduction to Physical Science Test. Prepare with multiple choice questions, and access hints and explanations to enhance understanding. Get ready for your exam!

Newton's three laws of motion are indeed comprised of the law of inertia, the law of acceleration, and the law of action-reaction.

The law of inertia states that an object at rest will remain at rest, and an object in motion will continue in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by a net external force. This principle highlights the natural tendency of objects to maintain their state of motion.

The law of acceleration, often expressed as F=ma, indicates that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting upon it and inversely proportional to its mass. This means that heavier objects require more force to achieve the same acceleration as lighter objects.

The law of action-reaction states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This means that forces always come in pairs; if one object exerts a force on a second object, the second object exerts an equal force in the opposite direction on the first object.

Understanding these three laws provides a fundamental basis for classical mechanics and helps explain how and why objects move in response to forces.

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