A cart pushed on a smooth floor tends to keep moving after you stop pushing. Which physics concept explains this?

Unlock all features

Unlock your full potential with Examzify Plus. Access the complete question bank, personalized progress tracking, and an ad-free experience.

Full question bankExam simulationsFlashcards
From $9.99Unlock all

Prepare for the MTTC Upper Elementary Education Science and Social Studies exam. Utilize flashcards and multiple choice questions with detailed hints and explanations. Succeed in your test and further your teaching career.

Multiple Choice

A cart pushed on a smooth floor tends to keep moving after you stop pushing. Which physics concept explains this?

Explanation:
Inertia explains why the cart keeps moving. It describes the tendency of objects to resist changes in their motion. On a smooth floor, horizontal friction is minimal, so once you stop pushing, there isn’t a strong horizontal force to slow it down, and the cart continues at about the same speed in the same direction. Momentum (mass times velocity) is related, but inertia is the fundamental reason motion persists. Gravity only affects vertical forces and doesn’t drive the horizontal motion.

Inertia explains why the cart keeps moving. It describes the tendency of objects to resist changes in their motion. On a smooth floor, horizontal friction is minimal, so once you stop pushing, there isn’t a strong horizontal force to slow it down, and the cart continues at about the same speed in the same direction. Momentum (mass times velocity) is related, but inertia is the fundamental reason motion persists. Gravity only affects vertical forces and doesn’t drive the horizontal motion.

More Multiple Choice Questions
Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy