Question

Do you need to continue applying force to an object to keep it moving? Explain why

Answer 1

[AI-generated answer — Explain Bot]

To answer your question, let's start by understanding the concept of inertia. Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion. According to Newton's First Law of Motion, an object at rest remains at rest, and an object in motion continues moving with a constant velocity in a straight line, unless acted upon by an external force.

So, if you apply a force to set an object in motion, the object will keep moving at a constant velocity in the absence of any other forces. This is often referred to as "uniform motion" or "constant motion." However, it's important to note that this assumes there are no other external forces (like friction or air resistance) acting on the object.

Now, addressing your question directly, if the object is moving in an environment with no friction or opposing forces, you do not need to continuously apply force to keep it moving. This is because in the absence of external forces, the initial force you applied will have already set the object in motion, and it will continue to move with the same velocity.

However, in reality, most objects are subject to forces like friction and air resistance, which act to oppose motion. These forces can gradually slow down the object and eventually bring it to a stop. In such cases, if you want to keep the object moving at a constant speed, you will need to continue applying force to counteract the opposing forces.

For example, if you push a book on a table, the initial force you used sets the book in motion. Due to the presence of friction between the book and the table, over time, the book will slow down and eventually come to a stop. To keep the book moving at a constant speed, you would need to continue applying force to overcome the friction and maintain the motion.

In summary, in an ideal scenario without any opposing forces, you do not need to continuously apply force to keep an object moving. However, in real-world situations where friction or other opposing forces are present, you would need to apply force to counteract those forces and maintain the object's motion.