A sheet of paper can be withdrawn from under a bottle of milk without toppling the bottle if the paper is jerked out quickly. This is an example of ________.
A) inertia
B) action-reaction
C) potential energy
D) friction forces

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an example of inertia, specifically Newton's first law of motion which states that an object at rest will remain at rest and an object in motion will remain in motion with a constant velocity (magnitude and direction) unless acted upon by an external force. When the paper is pulled out quickly, it creates a force on the paper, but not on the milk bottle, allowing it to remain in place due to its inertia.

A Sheet of Paper Can Be Withdrawn from Under a Bottle