According to Newton's First Law, what will happen to an object at rest?

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Dive into the AST2002 Astronomy Midterm at UCF. Enhance your understanding through engaging flashcards and insightful multiple-choice questions. Prepare effectively and boost your confidence for this academic challenge!

Newton's First Law of Motion states that an object at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by an external force. This principle emphasizes the concept of inertia, which is the tendency of an object to maintain its current state—whether that state is rest or uniform motion. In simpler terms, if no force is applied, the object will not change its position or velocity.

This is fundamental in understanding how forces interact with objects. For example, a book lying on a table will not move unless someone picks it up or pushes it. The law highlights the importance of external influences in changing the state of motion of an object. Thus, the understanding of this law is crucial in studying dynamics and the behavior of objects in various physical contexts.