What term describes an object's resistance to any change in motion?

Prepare for the DIVE Integrated Chemistry and Physics Quarterly Exam 3. Practice with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question offers hints and explanations to guide your learning. Excel in your exam!

The correct term that describes an object's resistance to any change in motion is inertia. Inertia is a property of matter that determines how much an object will resist changes to its state of motion. In simple terms, the greater the mass of an object, the greater its inertia; therefore, it requires a larger force to change its speed or direction.

Velocity refers to the speed of an object in a particular direction, which does not inherently describe resistance to motion. Momentum is the product of an object's mass and its velocity, representing the quantity of motion an object has, but it doesn't directly pertain to the concept of resistance to changes in motion. Force is an external influence that can cause an object to accelerate, but it is not a measure of the object's inherent resistance to motion.

Inertia is essential in understanding Newton's first law of motion, which states that an object at rest will stay at rest, and an object in motion will stay in motion at a constant velocity unless acted upon by a net external force. Hence, inertia is fundamentally tied to the object's capability to resist changes in its state of motion.

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