Newton's law of inertia pertains to an object's tendency to do what?

Newton's law of inertia states that an object at rest tends to stay at rest, and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by a net external force. This principle highlights the inherent resistance of objects to changes in their state of motion.

Choosing the option that states an object will remain at rest or continue in motion captures the essence of inertia perfectly. It emphasizes that without an external force altering the state, the object will maintain its current movement or position indefinitely.

In contrasting options, changing its velocity suggests a shift in motion that would typically require a force, which doesn't align with the fundamental idea of inertia. Similarly, the notions of attracting other objects or generating heat do not relate to the object's tendency in relation to its motion; these concepts pertain to different physical principles, such as gravity or thermodynamics, rather than inertia itself.