How do Newton’s laws of motion explain why it is important to keep the ice smooth on a hockey rink so that players can pass a puck as quickly as possible?

By Newton’s first law, a moving puck keeps moving at a constant velocity unless an unbalanced force acts on it. Smooth ice reduces friction, so there is less force opposing the puck’s motion and slowing it down; this lets players pass it more quickly. Smooth ice does not reduce the puck’s inertia, which depends on its mass.

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