What term describes the tendency of a body to resist a change in its state of motion?

The correct term for the tendency of a body to resist a change in its state of motion is inertia. Inertia is a fundamental concept in physics that describes an object's resistance to any change in its velocity, whether that means remaining at rest or maintaining a constant speed in a straight line. This property is directly related to the mass of the object; the greater the mass, the greater the inertia, meaning more force is required to change the state of motion.

Inertia helps explain why a heavy object, like a car, is harder to start moving from a stop than a lighter object, like a bicycle. It also clarifies why seatbelts are important in vehicles; they help counteract the inertia of occupants when a vehicle suddenly stops, preventing injury by minimizing the effects of sudden deceleration.

Impulse refers to the change in momentum resulting from a force applied over time, while net force is the overall force acting on an object after all individual forces are summed up. Mass, although related, is a measure of the amount of matter in an object and directly influences inertia, but it does not describe the resistance to motion changes itself.