17. If the net force acting on an object is zero, then the object is considered what? at rest decelerating moving accelerating

## Step 1<br />The problem is about the concept of net force and its effect on an object's state of motion. According to Newton's first law of motion, also known as the law of inertia, an object at rest will stay at rest, and an object in motion will stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />When the net force acting on an object is zero, it means that all the forces acting on the object are balanced. This balance of forces results in no change in the object's state of motion.<br /><br />## Step 3<br />If the object was initially at rest, it will remain at rest. If the object was initially in motion, it will continue to move at a constant velocity in a straight line.<br /><br />## Step 4<br />The options "decelerating" and "accelerating" imply a change in the object's velocity, which would require a net force that is not zero. Therefore, these options are incorrect in the context of the question.