Question

4 your classmate claims that an object moving along a frictionless surface with no air resistance will keep traveling forever. is this claim correct? a yes, because it will stay in motion unless it is acted upon by another force b yes, because gravity will keep it moving forever at the same speed c no, because it will continue to accelerate unless it is acted upon by another force d no, because it will eventually slow and come to a stop when the initial force wears off

Explanation:

To determine the correct answer, we analyze each option based on Newton's first law of motion (the law of inertia), which states that an object in motion will stay in motion with a constant velocity (same speed and direction) unless acted upon by a net external force.

• Option A: Aligns with Newton's first law. In a frictionless environment with no air resistance, there are no net external forces to change the object's motion, so it will continue moving forever unless another force acts on it.
• Option B: Gravity alone doesn't keep an object moving at a constant speed forever in this context. Gravity's effect depends on the situation (e.g., if the surface is horizontal, gravity is balanced by the normal force, and it doesn't provide a net force to maintain motion).
• Option C: The object won't accelerate unless a net force acts on it (Newton's second law, \( F = ma \)). Without net forces, it maintains constant velocity, not acceleration. So this is incorrect.
• Option D: Forces don't "wear off." Once an object is in motion on a frictionless, air - resistance - free surface, there's no force to slow it down, so it won't stop due to the "initial force wearing off."

Answer:

A. Yes, because it will stay in motion unless it is acted upon by another force