What is inertial mass of a body ? Give its important properties.

Inertial Mass:
Inertial mass of a body refers to its resistance to acceleration when an external force is applied. It is the ratio of the external force acting on the body to the acceleration produced along a smooth horizontal surface.

Inertial mass measures a body’s ability to resist acceleration due to an external force. If two bodies experience the same force, the body with greater inertial mass will have less acceleration and vice versa.

Properties of Inertial Mass:
1. The inertial mass of a body is directly proportional to the quantity of matter it contains.
2. It is independent of the size, shape, and state of the body.
3. It is conserved in both physical and chemical processes.
4. It is unaffected by the presence of other bodies.
5. When different bodies are combined, their inertial masses add up, regardless of the materials’ nature.
6. The inertial mass of a body increases with speed. As a body with rest mass moves at higher speeds, its inertial mass increases.