Motion
6 questions tagged Motion — spanning every one of the seven Ws.
Why does a spinning top slow down and wobble instead of staying perfectly upright?
A top loses energy to friction and air resistance, so its spin weakens. As that happens, gravity makes it wobble and eventually topple.
Whose name is attached to the principle that every action has an equal and opposite reaction?
Isaac Newton’s third law of motion. It states that forces come in equal and opposite pairs.
How does an object stay in free fall without hitting the ground?
An object is in free fall when gravity is the only significant force acting on it. In orbit, it keeps falling around Earth instead of down to the surface.
Why does a spinning top stay upright?
A spinning top stays upright because angular momentum resists changes to its axis of rotation. Gravity tries to tip it, but the spinning motion makes it precess instead of simply falling over.
How does inertia keep a moving object going?
Inertia is an object’s resistance to changes in motion. Without outside forces like friction, a moving object would keep moving forever at the same speed and direction.
How does inertia affect turning and braking in a car?
Inertia makes a car resist changes in speed or direction. That is why braking takes distance and turning at high speed can be dangerous.