Science Common Sense


1664 - What happens if the total external force on a particle system is zero

If the total external force on a particle system is zero, it means that the system won't speed up or slow down. This is called Newton's First Law of Motion, also known as the Law of Inertia.

There are two possibilities:

  1. The system is already at rest: If the total external force is zero, the system won't move.
  2. The system is already moving: If the total external force is zero, the system will keep moving at the same speed and in the same direction as before.