Inertia and Galileo (Pre-Newton Ideas)

Inertia before Newton

• Prior to Newton's day, inertia was in direct opposition to the popular ideas about motion.

• It was believed that it is the natural tendency of objects to stop and force must be applied continuously to keep it moving.

• If left by itself, a moving object would eventually come to rest and an object at rest would stay at rest.

• In 1632, Galileo developed the concept of inertia.