Newton's laws of motion

Newton’s Laws of Motion explain how objects move and interact.

First, the Law of Inertia: An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted on by an external force. That’s why you lurch forward when a car suddenly stops!

Second, the Law of Acceleration: Force equals mass times acceleration. That’s why a heavier object needs more force to move than a lighter one.

Third, the Law of Action and Reaction: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Push on a wall, and it pushes back with the same force!

These laws shape everything from rocket launches to everyday motion.