/iˈnərSHə/
"A property of matter by which it continues in its existing state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line, unless that state is changed by an external force."
It wasn't until recently that I truly realized the role that inertia plays in my life. When I chose chemical engineering as my course of study and career path, I thought I was leaving my days of physics behind. Boy was I wrong. With everything I do, I am constantly reminded of the forces working around me...gravity which never fails to keep me grounded, friction which is always slowing me down, and inertia which keeps me moving or seemingly forever still.
Just this morning I was laying in bed completely content with staying there all day. Movement out of the picture. Plans of workouts, bike rides, and going to the beach or pool were distant dreams from yesterday. I could not get myself out of bed.
But somewhere deep within me I knew that once I got moving, there'd be no end. One activity would lead to the next until sunrise turned into sunset and pajama time would be upon me. See, that's my problem. If I want to relax, I can't start moving because then I won't stop. But if I just stayed in my bed cozied up, that sunset would come and I'd still be there. It's inertia.
The external force that acts on the object (or person) can come in many forms. For me, it could be the buzz of an alarm which startles me out of bed, a text from a friend that gets me off the couch and out of the house, or it's often more of an internal force...the grumble of my stomach which drives me into the kitchen for a snack or the voice in my head which encourages me that a workout will make me feel better.
Inertia, I've found, is natural. It is not a tendency towards laziness on the one hand or agility on the other. It's human nature...it's physics. I've stopped feeling bad for wanting a day at rest and embrace it.
But when I find myself lacking in some much needed motivation, I remember this lesson in physics and find that force to get moving...usually in the form of coffee.
"A property of matter by which it continues in its existing state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line, unless that state is changed by an external force."
It wasn't until recently that I truly realized the role that inertia plays in my life. When I chose chemical engineering as my course of study and career path, I thought I was leaving my days of physics behind. Boy was I wrong. With everything I do, I am constantly reminded of the forces working around me...gravity which never fails to keep me grounded, friction which is always slowing me down, and inertia which keeps me moving or seemingly forever still.
Just this morning I was laying in bed completely content with staying there all day. Movement out of the picture. Plans of workouts, bike rides, and going to the beach or pool were distant dreams from yesterday. I could not get myself out of bed.
But somewhere deep within me I knew that once I got moving, there'd be no end. One activity would lead to the next until sunrise turned into sunset and pajama time would be upon me. See, that's my problem. If I want to relax, I can't start moving because then I won't stop. But if I just stayed in my bed cozied up, that sunset would come and I'd still be there. It's inertia.
The external force that acts on the object (or person) can come in many forms. For me, it could be the buzz of an alarm which startles me out of bed, a text from a friend that gets me off the couch and out of the house, or it's often more of an internal force...the grumble of my stomach which drives me into the kitchen for a snack or the voice in my head which encourages me that a workout will make me feel better.
Inertia, I've found, is natural. It is not a tendency towards laziness on the one hand or agility on the other. It's human nature...it's physics. I've stopped feeling bad for wanting a day at rest and embrace it.
But when I find myself lacking in some much needed motivation, I remember this lesson in physics and find that force to get moving...usually in the form of coffee.