if you were in a smooth-riding train w/no windows, could you sense the difference between uniform motion and?

Question

rest? between accelerated motion and rest? How can you make such a distinction with a bowl filled with water?

Answer 1

difference between uniform motion and rest?
No. You would not be able to tell the difference.

between accelerated motion and rest?
Yes. You would feel a force toward the back of the train.

How can you make such a distinction with a bowl filled with water?
Look at the water. If it is level, you are not moving or moving with uniform motion. If the water is not level, then you are accelerating (the high water will be toward the "back" of the train)

Answer 2

With or without windows u cant say which frame is at rest and which is in motion. For all we can know the wind is blowing very fast towards us.

in accelerated motion u can see the water in the bowl moving opposite to the motion of the train. While at rest water will remain still in the bowl given there is no external disturbances.

Answer 3

You get the same effects flying in an airplane on a long trip. If all the blinds are closed, and the plane is flying level at a constant speed, there's no sense of motion at all. It's only when the plane accelerates, slows down, climbs, drops, or turns that you know you're in a moving container.

Answer 4

Answer: No and No.

An object that is at rest will remain at rest unless a nonzero net (or total) force is exerted on it. This one is fairly easy to believe and sounds intuitive enough. However, the next part of the first law might sound less plausible. Simply stated, an object moving at a constant velocity will continue to move at a constant velocity (moving at a constant speed and in a straight line) unless a nonzero net (or total) force acts upon the object. Recall that constant velocity means that the object is moving at a constant speed and in a constant direction.

Dr. H

Answer 5

As long as you're not accelerating you would not know if you were moving or not.