We determine the relative inertia of objects by comparing their tendencies to resist changes in their states of motion. In the example given, the train exhibits more inertia compared to the cart because it requires more force to change its motion significantly.
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The relative inertia of objects, like a train and a cart, is determined by comparing their masses. Inertia, a property described by Newton’s first law, is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion. The more massive an object, the greater its inertia. Mass is a quantitative measure of inertia, and by comparing the masses of the train and the cart, one can infer their relative resistance to changes in motion. Generally, the larger mass of a train indicates higher inertia compared to the smaller mass of a cart, impacting their response to applied forces and changes in velocity.