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The principle that best explains the magician's trick of pulling the tablecloth away while leaving the dishes undisturbed is that objects at rest tend to remain at rest. This principle is derived from Newton's first law of motion, also known as the law of inertia.

In this scenario, the dishes resting on the table are at rest relative to the table's surface. When the magician quickly pulls the tablecloth, the inertia of the dishes causes them to resist any change in their state of motion. Since the dishes are not experiencing a force sufficient to cause them to move with the tablecloth, they remain in their original position. The rapid movement of the tablecloth creates minimal friction with the dishes, allowing this effect to occur smoothly.

The other principles mentioned relate to different aspects of physics, such as gravitational force and force-mass-acceleration relationships, which do not directly apply to the outcome seen in this trick. Thus, the concept of inertia is crucial for understanding why the dishes remain undisturbed despite the swift action of the magician.