Applications of Newton’s First Law

Newton’s first Law states that unless an external force is applied to a body, it remains in its state of motion or rest for an indefinite amount of time. This law is also known as the Law of Inertia. In other words, Newton’s 1st law discusses the necessity of an external force to bring out a change in acceleration of a body. There are a variety of instances in our daily lives where we experience the essence of Newton’s 1st Law. This article discusses various real-life applications of Newton’s 1st law.

What is Applications of Newton’s 1st Law in Real Life

Newton’s first law of motion forms the base of classical mechanics and finds application in numerous real-life scenarios, ranging from everyday occurrences to advanced technological innovations.

Safety Systems in Automobiles

Newton’s first law is widely used by the automotive industries in developing the design of safety features such as airbags, seatbelts, etc. to protect the occupants of the vehicle in case of any collision or sudden braking. When brake is applied suddenly on a moving vehicle, the occupants have the inertia of moving forward, i.e. they tend to maintain their forward motion but seat belts help to restrain their forward motion and hence protect them from colliding into the glass or the vehicle frame. Also, if a collision occurs between an obstacle and the vehicle on road, airbags get inflated through sensors which get triggered by the sudden deceleration, providing a cushioning effect for the occupants to avoid severe injuries.

Rides in the Amusement Park

Amusement Park Rides are designed and operated incorporating Newton’s First Law to create a thrilling experience for the riders. For instance, Roller Coasters use a variety of twists, turns and loops which rely on Newton’s first law to propel the passengers in a forward direction. In most cases, the journey of a roller coaster begins from a high altitude point, whereby the coaster gains kinetic energy, which allows smooth motion along the track in spite of various twists and turns along the way. Other examples can be pendulum rides, which create a swinging motion that is sustained due to inertia and eventually the ride stops due to the internal frictional forces involved.

Suspension Systems in Automobiles

The suspension systems in automobiles utilize Newton’s first law in design and development to enhance comfort and stability during the ride. Whenever there is an uneven terrain or a bump in the road, shockers are designed in the vehicles to absorb the impact and allow the rider and occupants feel stable and not shaky. Vibration absorbers and shock dampers also make use of the law to understand the effect of dynamic loads and design them accordingly.

Smooth and Controlled Motion of Elevators

Newton’s First law plays an important role in smooth and controlled motion of elevators. An elevator need not to be accelerating all the time to provide a comfortable experience to its occupants. It gently accelerates to overcome the inertia of passengers at rest and then provide them a uniform motion between the floors in buildings until the destination is reached and gradually comes to rest giving a smooth experience.

Frequently Asked Questions on Applications of Newton’s First Law

What is the statement of Newton’s first law?

Newton’s first law states that an object in motion or rest remains in its state unless acted upon by an external force.

How does Newton’s first law apply to car accidents?

In car accidents, passengers have an inertia of moving forward at the vehicle’s previous speed until restrained by seat belts or airbags, demonstrating the Newton’s first law relating to the principle of inertia.

How is Newton’s first law applied to behavior of spacecrafts in space?

In space, there is a negligible air resistance or friction, so spacecraft can keep moving at a constant velocity unless propelled by thrusters, as indicated by the Newton’s law that if there is no external force, the body tends to maintain its state of motion.

How does Newton’s first law relate to skydiving?

Newton’s first law applies to skydiving as it explains why a skydiver continues moving at a constant velocity until acted upon by external forces, such as air resistance or parachute deployment.