Which action can cause an object to move or change its state of motion?

An object can move or change its state of motion when a force is applied to it. The concept is grounded in Newton's laws of motion, particularly the first law, which is often referred to as the law of inertia. This law states that an object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an external force. Therefore, if an object is at rest (not moving) or moving at a constant speed in a straight line, it will require an external force to change that state. This can include starting to move from rest, stopping from a moving state, changing speed (accelerating or decelerating), or altering direction.

For example, when you push a stationary ball, you exert a force that causes it to roll. Similarly, when you apply the brakes on a moving bicycle, you exert a force in the opposite direction of its motion, causing it to slow down and eventually stop.