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Chapter 4: Problem 11

A driver tells passengers to buckle their seatbelts, invoking the law of inertia. What's that got to do with seatbelts?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The law of inertia is directly related to seatbelts in that it is the inertia of the passengers that seatbelts are designed to counteract. Without a seatbelt, a passenger's body will continue moving at the same speed and in the same direction the vehicle was traveling before a sudden stop or crash.

Step by step solution

01

Define the Law of Inertia

Newton's first law, also known as the law of inertia, states that an object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an external force. In this context, the 'object' could be anything from a still car to a passenger inside a moving car.
02

Relate the Law of Inertia to a Moving Vehicle

When a car is moving, everything inside the car, including the passengers, is also moving at the same speed as the car. When the car stops suddenly, the passengers' bodies tend to keep moving, because of inertia. This can result in the passengers being thrown forward.
03

Understand the Role of Seatbelts

A seatbelt is an 'external force' that counteracts inertia. When worn, it keeps the passenger secured in place, even when the car comes to a sudden stop. The seatbelt applies an opposing force to the forward momentum of the passenger, preventing them from being thrown forward and possibly preventing injury.

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