Question

A ball is tossed straight upward in an airplane going 500 mi/h in a straight line at a constant altitude. When the ball lands in the cabin its position relative to the person who tossed it will be?

1) farther toward the back of the cabin depending upon the plane's speed
2) farther toward the front of the cabin depending upon the plane's speed
3) right back down on the person who tossed it straight upward.
4) farther toward the back of the plane if the ball is light, but farther toward the front if the ball is heavy.

Answer 1

The ball tossed straight upward in an airplane traveling at a constant altitude and velocity will land directly back on the person who tossed it, due to the principles of inertia and relative motion.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a ball is tossed straight upward in an airplane traveling at a constant altitude and velocity, such as 500 mi/h, the ball will land right back down on the person who tossed it upward. This phenomenon occurs due to the principles of relative motion and inertia. Inside the airplane, both the person and the ball share the same initial horizontal velocity as the airplane. When the ball is thrown vertically, it maintains its initial horizontal velocity, matching that of the airplane, thanks to inertia. Therefore, despite the airplane's high speed, the ball does not fall toward the front or back of the cabin; it falls right back to the point where it was released, relative to the person and airplane. An observer on the ground, however, would see a different path due to the horizontal velocity of the airplane.