How come when you're in a moving car and you drop something it falls straight down while you're moving. Shouldn't it fly backwards?
Explain why it doesn't please!!!
2006-06-27 03:24:25 · 9 answers · asked by kauerpower1 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
When you drop the object, it has a velocity (relative to the Earth) in the forward direction equal to the velocity of the car (and you). Once you've dropped the object, the only force acting on it is gravity, which acts straight down, and so the object starts accelerating downwards. As there are no forces acting horizontally on the object, there is no change in its horizontal velocity. As long as you continue to move at the same velocity, the object will appear to fall straight down to you.
However, to a stationary (relative to the Earth) observer, the object will follow a parabolic path - forwards, and down.
2006-06-27 04:13:22 · answer #1 · answered by Sorcia 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
When you're in a moving car, everything - including the air - moves with you at the same speed (assuming you have the windows up). Because you have a closed system, there are no forces (other than gravity) to act on your dropped object and so it falls straight down, from the car's perspective.
If you dropped something outside the car, the air outside (not moving with the car) would then slow the object as it fell, which would make it go backwards from the car's perspective.
2006-06-27 06:43:59 · answer #2 · answered by Thomas F 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi there.....
see when u drop something in the car it all depends on the weight of the object. If u drop a paper it will ofcourse go behind but if u drop a ball or a pen it will go straight down. Coz more the weight more the gravitational force works on it. Try it practically.
2006-06-27 05:27:31 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
when the car moves with a constant speed it is worked as a non accelerate system.
so the falling object seems to be go straight down to a person who stay in side the car.
in practical for the presence of air its horizontal speed is partly interrupted.so it fly back ward.
if you do this experiment in side the car the object falls straight down as its horizontal
speed remain same.
2006-06-27 04:10:20 · answer #4 · answered by Sayom 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Relative to you, the object falls straight down because you, the object, and the car all have the same forward momentum. To an outside stationary observer, it would actually appear that the object moved forward as it fell.
2006-06-27 03:32:52 · answer #5 · answered by mathsmart 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are two forces involved in this question, movement forward and gravity. the object dropped will move forward from the point of release decreasing in forward momentum and downward due to gravity. the object will not drop strait down there will be a arc as gravity takes over and forward momentum decreases. Gravity is a constant and forward movement is not. I hope this answer your question.
2006-06-27 03:52:58 · answer #6 · answered by Robert R 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The center of gravity moves along with the moving vehicle and the windshield protects it from flying backwards. Simple physics.
2006-06-27 03:29:48 · answer #7 · answered by Doclester 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it does not fall straight down, if you were standing still and saw it in slow motion you would see the forward motion of the vehicle would make it fall at an angle relative to the ground
2006-06-27 03:30:30 · answer #8 · answered by Kalahari_Surfer 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it do not fall straight . it cover a curved line.
2006-06-27 03:40:13 · answer #9 · answered by eshaghi_2006 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋