# inertia (resistance)

A parameter whose window is narrower than the range of drift, so that drift does not move it.

- Computed level: L12 (depth in the emergence graph, not abstraction)
- Status: review  ·  Domain: window  ·  Arena: system

## Emergence
**Emerges from:** [parameter](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-parameter.condition), [window](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-window.range), [drift](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-drift.aimless), [narrow](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-narrow.spatial), [range](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-range.spatial), [motion](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-motion.movement)

**Through:** In a system subject to drift, a parameter with inertia resists change because its window is narrow relative to the drift range.

**Novel properties:**
- resistance to change
- stability under drift

## Examples
- The International Space Station maintains its orbit at 400 km altitude despite atmospheric drag, requiring periodic reboosts from visiting spacecraft. *(engineering)*
- Earth's rotation has slowed by only 2.5 milliseconds per century over the last 2,000 years due to tidal friction. *(physics)*
- The U.S. Constitution’s Article V amendment process has been used only 27 times in 235 years, preserving core structures. *(institutions)*

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*Canonical: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-inertia.resistance*  
*Structured data: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-inertia.resistance.json*  
*Every definition provably resolves to space, time, energy and pattern.*