Why does a ball eventually stop rolling, even though Newton’s First Law suggests it shouldn’t?

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Updated: 11-Apr-2025

While Newton’s First Law says an object in motion stays in motion, real-world forces like friction and air resistance act on the ball, slowing it down. These external forces aren't part of the ideal scenario described in the law.

If those forces were absent, the ball would keep rolling forever. Engineers reduce friction in machines using lubricants or bearings to come closer to the ideal frictionless motion described by the law.

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