Newton's First Law MCQs
1. Which situation could be used to best demonstrate Newton's First Law in a classroom?
(a) Dropping a ball from a height
(b) Sliding a puck on a smooth surface and observing when it stops
(c) Measuring the weight of a rock
(d) Burning a piece of paper
Correct Answer: (b) Sliding a puck on a smooth surface and observing when it stops
Newton's First Law states that an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an external force. Sliding a puck demonstrates this as it continues moving until friction (external force) stops it.
2. A student argues that objects always need a force to keep moving. How would you evaluate this statement based on Newton's First Law?
(a) Correct, because forces cause movement
(b) Incorrect, because objects in motion remain in motion unless acted on by a force
(c) Correct, because moving objects slow down without force
(d) It depends on the object's size
Correct Answer: (b) Incorrect, because objects in motion remain in motion unless acted on by a force
Newton's First Law states that objects in motion continue in motion with constant velocity unless acted upon by a net external force. The student's statement is incorrect because it suggests motion requires a continuous force.
3. Which of the following statements is true regarding objects in motion and Newton's First Law?
(a) Only moving objects have inertia
(b) Moving objects eventually stop on their own
(c) An object will continue moving in a straight line unless acted upon
(d) All objects naturally tend to speed up
Correct Answer: (c) An object will continue moving in a straight line unless acted upon
This is the direct statement of Newton's First Law. All objects have inertia (resistance to change in motion), and they only change their motion when acted upon by an external force.
4. A rider on horse back falls when horse starts running all of a sudden because
(a) Rider is taken back
(b) Rider is suddenly afraid of falling
(c) Inertia of rest keeps the upper part of body at rest whereas lower part of the body moves forward with the horse
(d) None of the above
Correct Answer: (c) Inertia of rest keeps the upper part of body at rest whereas lower part of the body moves forward with the horse
This demonstrates inertia - the tendency of objects to resist changes in their state of motion. The rider's lower body moves with the horse while the upper body tends to stay at rest initially.
5. When a train stops suddenly, passengers in the running train feel an instant jerk in the forward direction because
(a) The back of seat suddenly pushes the passengers forward
(b) Inertia of rest stops the train and takes the body forward
(c) Upper part of the body continues to be in the state of motion whereas the lower part of the body in contact with seat remains at rest
(d) Nothing can be said due to insufficient data
Correct Answer: (c) Upper part of the body continues to be in the state of motion whereas the lower part of the body in contact with seat remains at rest
This is another example of inertia. The passengers' bodies tend to continue moving forward (their previous state of motion) while the train (and seats) stop suddenly.
6. Inertia is that property of a body by virtue of which the body is
(a) Unable to change by itself the state of rest
(b) Unable to change by itself the state of uniform motion
(c) Unable to change by itself the direction of motion
(d) Unable to change by itself the state of rest and of uniform linear motion
Correct Answer: (d) Unable to change by itself the state of rest and of uniform linear motion
Inertia is the property that resists changes to both states of rest and uniform motion. Mathematically, this is expressed as \( \sum \vec{F} = 0 \Rightarrow \vec{a} = 0 \).
7. If a hockey puck slides on ice and eventually comes to a stop, what is the main reason for this according to Newton's First Law?
(a) Gravity pulls it down
(b) Air resistance pushes it back
(c) A force (friction) opposes its motion
(d) It wants to stop
Correct Answer: (c) A force (friction) opposes its motion
According to Newton's First Law, the puck would continue moving indefinitely without friction. The stopping is caused by the frictional force opposing the motion \( F_{\text{friction}} = \mu N \).
8. A passenger jerks forward when a car suddenly stops. This is due to:
(a) Gravity
(b) Friction
(c) Inertia
(d) Air resistance
Correct Answer: (c) Inertia
The passenger's body tends to continue moving forward (its initial state of motion) due to inertia when the car stops suddenly.
9. A soccer ball is lying still on the field. What will happen if no one kicks it?
(a) It will start moving
(b) It will move slightly and stop
(c) It will stay at rest
(d) It will bounce
Correct Answer: (c) It will stay at rest
Newton's First Law states that an object at rest remains at rest unless acted upon by an external force. With no kick (external force), the ball remains stationary.
10. A man getting down a running bus falls forward because
(a) Due to inertia of rest, road is left behind and man reaches forward
(b) Due to inertia of motion upper part of body continues to be in motion in forward direction while feet come to rest as soon as they touch the road
(c) He leans forward as a matter of habit
(d) Of the combined effect of all the three factors stated in (a), (b) and (c)
Correct Answer: (b) Due to inertia of motion upper part of body continues to be in motion in forward direction while feet come to rest as soon as they touch the road
The man's body was in motion with the bus. When his feet stop on the ground, his upper body continues moving forward due to inertia, causing him to fall forward.
11. A boy sitting on the topmost berth in the compartment of a train which is just going to stop on a railway station, drops an apple aiming at the open hand of his brother sitting vertically below his hands at a distance of about 2 meter. The apple will fall
(a) Precisely on the hand of his brother
(b) Slightly away from the hand of his brother in the direction of motion of the train
(c) Slightly away from the hand of his brother in the direction opposite to the direction of motion of the train
(d) None of the above
Correct Answer: (a) Precisely on the hand of his brother
Both the apple and the brother have the same horizontal velocity (the train's velocity) when the apple is dropped. According to Newton's First Law, they continue with this velocity, so the apple falls straight down relative to the brother.
12. Newton's first law of motion describes the following
(a) Energy
(b) Work
(c) Inertia
(d) Moment of inertia
Correct Answer: (c) Inertia
Newton's First Law is often called the Law of Inertia, describing how objects resist changes to their state of motion.
13. Which example best illustrates Newton's First Law?
(a) A car speeds up when the driver steps on the gas
(b) A moving bicycle stops when brakes are applied
(c) A rocket taking off into space
(d) A balloon inflating with air
Correct Answer: (b) A moving bicycle stops when brakes are applied
This demonstrates how an object in motion (the bicycle) changes its motion only when acted upon by an external force (the brakes).
14. Why does a book remain at rest on a table?
(a) No forces are acting on it
(b) Only unbalanced forces act on it
(c) Balanced forces are acting on it
(d) It is too heavy to move
Correct Answer: (c) Balanced forces are acting on it
The gravitational force \( F_g = mg \) is balanced by the normal force \( N \) from the table, resulting in no net force \( \sum F = 0 \), so the book remains at rest.
15. A person sitting in an open car moving at constant velocity throws a ball vertically up into air. The ball falls
(a) Outside the car
(b) In the car ahead of the person
(c) In the car to the side of the person
(d) Exactly in the hand which threw it up
Correct Answer: (d) Exactly in the hand which threw it up
Both the ball and the car have the same horizontal velocity. When thrown vertically, the ball maintains this horizontal velocity (no air resistance assumed), so it lands back in the thrower's hand.
16. A bird weighs 2 kg and is inside a closed cage of 1 kg. If it starts flying, then what is the weight of the bird and cage assembly
(a) 1.5 kg
(b) 2.5 kg
(c) 3 kg
(d) 4 kg
Correct Answer: (c) 3 kg
The total weight remains the same (3 kg) whether the bird is flying or at rest inside the closed cage, as the forces are internal to the system.
17. A particle is moving with a constant speed along a straight line path. A force is not required to
(a) Increase its speed
(b) Decrease the momentum
(c) Change the direction
(d) Keep it moving with uniform velocity
Correct Answer: (d) Keep it moving with uniform velocity
According to Newton's First Law, no force is needed to maintain constant velocity \( \vec{v} \). Force \( \vec{F} \) is only needed to change the velocity (accelerate).
18. According to Newton's First Law, an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by a:
(a) Strong object
(b) Constant force
(c) Balanced force
(d) Unbalanced force
Correct Answer: (d) Unbalanced force
An unbalanced (net) force is required to change an object's state of motion. Balanced forces result in no change (constant velocity or rest).
19. When a bus suddenly takes a turn, the passengers are thrown outwards because of
(a) Inertia of motion
(b) Acceleration of motion
(c) Speed of motion
(d) Both (b) and (c)
Correct Answer: (a) Inertia of motion
Passengers tend to continue moving straight (their initial motion) due to inertia while the bus turns, making them feel thrown outward.
20. What is another name for Newton's First Law of Motion?
(a) Law of Gravity
(b) Law of Action-Reaction
(c) Law of Inertia
(d) Law of Acceleration
Correct Answer: (c) Law of Inertia
Newton's First Law is commonly called the Law of Inertia, describing how objects resist changes to their motion.
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