Question

A ball is thrown upward in the air by a passenger on a train that is moving with constant velocity. Describe the path of the ball as seen by the passenger. Describe the path as seen by a stationary observer outside the train.

Answer 1

Answer:

a) For the passenger the ball is seen to go up in a straight line path, and fall back to the hands of the passenger in a straight line path.

b) For a stationary observer on the ground, the ball is seen to take a parabolic path from when it is thrown up to when it fall down back on the palms of the passenger.

Explanation:

If a ball is thrown up in a vehicle moving with a constant velocity, the ball will be seen as the passenger, who is on the same frame of reference as the ball, to go up and down in a vertical straight line path. For an observer on the ground, this is different, as the ball is seen to to have both a relative vertical and horizontal component of motion, making the ball take a parabolic path from the time it was thrown, to when it falls back to the hands of the passenger.