A student driving her car at a constant speed makes a left turn. Her bag, on the passenger seat, slides and hits the passenger door. Which statement is correct?
A) The bag was pushed toward the door because it experienced a centripetal acceleration.
B) The bag was not pushed toward the door. It just tried to maintain its motion at constant speed in a straight line.
C) The bag was pushed toward the door because it was too heavy.
D) None of these explanations is true.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The bag sliding and hitting the passenger door is a result of inertia, where the bag tries to maintain its motion in a straight line while the car turns, according to Newton's first law of motion.

A Student Driving Her Car at a Constant Speed Makes