Physics brainteaser

[JTsyo]

You are standing at a train station when a train goes by at 60 mph. At the back of the train there's a person that throws a baseball at 60mph out the back of the train. What do you see the ball do?

 

[TecHNooB]

nm, i fail

 

[SandEagle]

42?

 

[TheHashmaster]

i would see the ball move 60mph in the direction it was thrown ?

 

[brandonb]

You should ask the Mythbusters since they already covered it.

 

[zokudu]

It should drop straight to the ground correct?

 

[Pantoot]

You should ask the Mythbusters since they already covered it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQVDAMzo4mE

 

[TecHNooB]

It should drop straight to the ground correct?

if not, i might finally go over the reason why the plane does take off.

 

[DrPizza]

You should ask the Mythbusters since they already covered it.

Mythbusters copied it from the guys who covered it previously. It's a simple frames of reference problem.
Original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPHoUbCNPX8

Here's a better physics brain teaser: in the video I linked, why is the driver wearing a helmet, and the guy riding in the back of the truck isn't?

 

[Darwin333]

Shouldn't it fall straight down?

 

[MotF Bane]

60 MPH relative to what? :awe:

 

[TheVrolok]

60 + (-60) = 0

 

[ElFenix]

out the back but what direction?

 

[MotF Bane]

Mythbusters copied it from the guys who covered it previously. It's a simple frames of reference problem.
Original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPHoUbCNPX8

Here's a better physics brain teaser: in the video I linked, why is the driver wearing a helmet, and the guy riding in the back of the truck isn't?

It's one thing to know it intellectually, but damn if that doesn't look funny to see.

 

[xSkyDrAx]

I don't get why people say it would fall straight down. If it went past you and they threw it out the back you would see it fly out the back. They didn't throw it infront of the train that's going 60MPH at 60MPH.

 

[MotF Bane]

I don't get why people say it would fall straight down. If it went past you and they threw it out the back you would see it fly out the back. They didn't throw it infront of the train that's going 60MPH at 60MPH.

:whiste:

 

[rivan]

Here's a better physics brain teaser: in the video I linked, why is the driver wearing a helmet, and the guy riding in the back of the truck isn't?

100 kph - helmet = Japan?

 

[slag]

out the back but what direction?

Not from the back, out the back. Out the back implies straight backwards, whereas from the back could mean any direction from the back.

 

[blinblue]

I'd imagine the train would create a good bit of air movement behind it that would pull the baseball a little bit. So it wouldn't drop straight down, but would move somewhat along with the train while falling down.

 

[zokudu]

I don't get why people say it would fall straight down. If it went past you and they threw it out the back you would see it fly out the back. They didn't throw it infront of the train that's going 60MPH at 60MPH.

Think harder.

 

[DesiPower]

In vacuum, it would drop exactly at the point he released provided the train is moving in a perfect straight line without swaying. with the real world wind sheer it will go where the current takes it.

 

[dighn]

I'd imagine the train would create a good bit of air movement behind it that would pull the baseball a little bit. So it wouldn't drop straight down, but would move somewhat along with the train while falling down.

in physics problems air does not exist unless stated otherwise, and all objects are spherical

 

[bobdole369]

I don't get why people say it would fall straight down. If it went past you and they threw it out the back you would see it fly out the back. They didn't throw it infront of the train that's going 60MPH at 60MPH.

LMAO at all the fail.

 

[xSkyDrAx]

nm thought about it from the perspective of the thrower.

 

[the DRIZZLE]

This isn't a brainteaser, this is one of the first things you learn in Physics 101.