IT'S A SCIENCE QUESTION??? IF YOU KNOW IT..I WILL GIVE 10 POINTS TO YOU!
Jamal is in a car going north. he looks out his window and thinks that the northbound traffic is moving very slowly. Ellen is in a car going south. She thinks the northbound traffic is moving quickly. Explain why Jamal and Ellen have different ideas about the motion of the traffic?
10 points to you...;)
2007-01-29 09:40:39 · 7 answers · asked by hey 3 in Education & Reference ➔ Homework Help
Well Jamal is in a traffic jam going north and Ellen is driving very fast in the oppisite direction so the cars seem to be going at her speed.
2007-01-29 09:55:50 · answer #1 · answered by Dana D 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is a matter of spacial perception. Jamal is traveling with the northbound traffic, therefore the traffic around him seems slow. Ellen is viewing the Northbound traffic with a combined intercept speed. Meaning if each vehicle is going 50 miles per hour, the intercept speed is 100 miles per hour. The intercept speed creates the spacial perception of the Northbound traffic moving quickly. I hope this helps.
2007-01-29 17:57:50 · answer #2 · answered by Robster01 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ellen is sitting in traffic that is moving much more slowly than Jamal. Therefore, Jamal is moving more quickly compared to Ellen but he doesn't think so because he has nothing to compare it to. Ellen does because she can sense her traffic and the northbound traffic.
2007-01-29 17:52:19 · answer #3 · answered by Marty 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First lets make the assumption that they are traveling the same speed.
Jamal thinks traffic is moving slowly because he is moving with traffic (55mph) so all cars are moving at 55 mph. Therefore he doesnt feel like he is moving fast because his view never really chnages.
Ellen thinks the northbound traffic is moving quickly because she is heading in the opposite direction. Since she is moving in the opposite direction traffic going the other way seems to be moving twice as fast. The traffic appears to be moving at 110 mph to her.
2007-01-29 17:52:25 · answer #4 · answered by Bloodsucker 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
ellen is driving slower so the cars she passes seems as if they're going faster. there's a greater disparity in speed. if jamal is going the same pace as the rest of the northbound cars it's slow. but if ellen is going much slower to th enorthbound cars then it seems as if the northbound cars are faster. it's perspective
2007-01-29 17:50:47 · answer #5 · answered by Jacqueline S 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you are moving along with the traffic, the background behingd the cars looks different, therefore, it seems you are moving slower while in traffic, and vice versa. I am almost positive, I am a straight-a student in physics, but look it up on google, because I studied it a while ago.
2007-01-29 17:51:36 · answer #6 · answered by B Rad 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
shes driving faster and the guy is behind traffic so its the speed difference
i think i am only 12 so i dont kno but i think its right
2007-01-29 17:58:14 · answer #7 · answered by Britt<3 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋