If you were on a plane going the speed of sound and walked from the
back of the plane to the front, would you be walking faster than the
speed of sound?
2006-09-08 02:03:27 · 17 answers · asked by shrey_rocks 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
An important factor in physics is called the frame of reference. Depending on your frame of reference, you may or may not be travelling faster that the speed of sound. For a person standing on the earths surface observing moving forward in the airplane, you would be travelling faster that the speed of sound, for those observing you in the plane, you would be mearly walking.
Michael
PS To other quoting the Mach no, please note the mach no is not the speed of sound, but rather the ratio of the velocity of the object relative to the speed of sound at that particular point in space. The speed of sound can vary on things like temperature, atmospheric pressure and altitiude.
2006-09-08 03:59:32 · answer #1 · answered by micky_b_good 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. A person observing you walking on the plane while they were standing still , would perceive you walking faster than the speed of sound. A person on the plane would just see you walking at a leisurely 2 miles per hour. You are actually discovering something some guy named Sir Issac Newton (1642-1727 AD) worked out. He said that essentially motion is relative to the plane (not an airplane mind you) of reference from which it is measured. He calls these things inertial planes of reference. Too many planes if you ask me.
2006-09-08 02:15:15 · answer #2 · answered by FilmfibrilProcess 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes.in relation to an observer form the ground , you would be moving at a speed higher than the plane . But in ralation to an observer in the plane , you would be moving at a normal speed much less than the speed of sound . But if the observer inside the plane also knows that in relation tothe any fixed point on earth of an observe on earth you are moving faster thant the plane .
2006-09-08 07:00:17 · answer #3 · answered by Infinity 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes and know. If you mean in relation to the outside, then yes, you are going faster than the speed of sound. But if you were comparing yourself to the speed of sound in the plane, then no, sound would scorch your behind in a race. All the speed of sound is is the transfer of energy through a medium.
The current accepted speed of sound is going through our air with an atmospheric pressure of one, and a certain humidity. As you can imagine the speed of sounds varies slightly in our earth's atmosphere. The speed of sound is greately affected by the density of the atoms it is traveling through. It is a jostling of atoms, therefore, the less distance(greater density)the atoms are from each other, the faster the sound travels. Tis simply kinetic energy.
Your answere,
the infinite.
2006-09-08 02:08:23 · answer #4 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Everything is relative! (I love Einstein :-) If people had special lenses to be able to see you form earth, from their perspective you would indeed be walking faster than the speed of sound. Anyone on the plane with you would consider that you're walking at a human normal speed!
2006-09-08 02:06:47 · answer #5 · answered by Mel 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you are not faster than the speed of sound. You are stationed in the plane. So plane's speed will not be added to yours. If earth is moving around sun, that doesn't mean that your are moving faster than the speed of earth.
2006-09-08 02:14:06 · answer #6 · answered by cOOl Hunk!!! 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If we choose reference frame as earth ,you would be moving faster than the speed of sound,but this speed has no effect on you ,as you are in the surroundings of the plane and you would feel yourself moving with slower speed than that of sound in the frame of reference of the plane
2006-09-08 08:43:23 · answer #7 · answered by swatantra k 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes. You could also shout from the rear of the plane, and the sound of your voice would travel faster than the speed of sound, because the air it's travelling through would be moving at mach 1.
2006-09-08 02:05:47 · answer #8 · answered by Ralfcoder 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no you would still be going less than the speed of sound because you speed would be calculated with the plane as a steady frame of reference if your speed is to be calculated with the ground below as the frame of reference your speed then along with the speed of the plane would be greater than the speed of sound
2006-09-08 03:03:00 · answer #9 · answered by oscar r 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. But not through air. The speed of sound is measured as it travels through air, but technically, yes you would be walking faster than the speed of sound.
2006-09-08 02:05:46 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋