Question

question 6 of 10
a car skids on a wet highway. according to newtons first law, why does the
car eventually slow down?

a. the car has no acceleration.
b. forces act on the car.
c. the car has no inertia.
d. there are no forces acting on the car.

Explanation:

Newton's first law states that an object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. When the car skids on the wet highway, forces (such as friction) act on it. These forces are unbalanced and cause the car to slow down.

• Option A: If the car had no acceleration, its velocity would remain constant (either zero or non - zero). But since it is slowing down, it has a negative acceleration. So this option is incorrect.
• Option B: Forces (e.g., friction between the car's tires and the wet road) act on the car. According to Newton's first law, these forces change the car's state of motion (slow it down). This option is correct.
• Option C: All objects have inertia. Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion. So this option is incorrect.
• Option D: As mentioned above, there are forces (e.g., friction) acting on the car. So this option is incorrect.

Answer:

B. Forces act on the car.