Page History

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MIT

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8.01

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Lesson

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2:

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The

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Natural

...

State

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of

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Motion

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and

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Newton's

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First

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Law

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Lesson

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Summary

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Excerpt
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Newtonian
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Mechanics
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is
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named
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after
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Isaac
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Newton,
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whose
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Principia
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Naturalis
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(1684)
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represented
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the
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first
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scientifically
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correct
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description
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of
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motion
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and
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its
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causes.
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Newton's
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first
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major
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insight
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was
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that
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the
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natural
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state
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of
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an
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isolated
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body
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(one
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with
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no
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forces
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on
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it)
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is
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motion
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with
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constant
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velocity
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.
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This
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contradicted
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more
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intuitively
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appealing
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earlier
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theories
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of
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motion
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in
...
which
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the
...
natural
...
state
...
of
...
motion
...
was
...
at
...
rest.
...
Newton's approach also represented the first example of theoretical physics - the idea that one should start from a few hypotheses consistent with experiment, expand on their consequences using mathematics, and compare the resulting predictions with reality using the most accurate experiments possible. His starting point, the three laws of motion (called Newton's Laws), were not abstract hypotheses: the first two were summaries of Galileo's experimental work on motion, and the third is a description of the nature of force that is necessary for internal consistency.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this Lesson, you should be able to:

State and explain your own words Newton's First Law of Motion.

Include Page

	Newton's Impact
	Newton's Impact

Include Page

	Animistic versus Newtonian Worldview
	Animistic versus Newtonian Worldview

Include Page

	Inertial Reference Frames and the First Law
	Inertial Reference Frames and the First Law

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Key

MIT

8.01

Lesson

2:

The

Natural

State

of

Motion

and

Newton's

First

Law

Lesson

Summary

Learning Objectives