What relationship does mass have with inertia?

• A. Inertia increases while mass decreases
• B. Mass has no effect on inertia
• C. The greater the mass, the greater the inertia
• D. Inertia is only dependent on the surface area of an object

Answer: (C)

The relationship between mass and inertia is fundamentally tied to the definition of inertia itself. Inertia refers to the tendency of an object to resist any change in its state of motion, whether that be speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction. The greater the mass of an object, the more force is required to change its motion. This means that a massive object inherently possesses greater inertia than a less massive object.

When you think about it intuitively, larger masses—like a boulder—are much harder to push or stop compared to smaller masses, such as a pebble. This direct relationship indicates that as mass increases, inertia also increases proportionally. Thus, the statement that "the greater the mass, the greater the inertia" accurately captures this principle and is the correct answer, reflecting the connection between an object's mass and its resistance to changes in motion.