Question

An electromagnet on the ceiling of an airplane holds a steel ball. When a button is pushed, the magnet releases the ball. The experiment is first done while the plane is parked on the ground, and the point where the ball hits the floor is marked with an X. Then the experiment is repeated while the plane is flying level at a steady 500 mph.

Does the ball land slight in front of the X( toward the nose of the plane), on the X, or slightly behind the X(toward the tail)? Explain.

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

According to first law of motion given by Newton , a body remains stationary as long as no force acts on it .

When the plane is stationary , his velocity in horizontal direction is zero . So the horizontal velocity of steel ball falling downwards is zero . Hence it falls on point X .

When plane is moving with uniform speed in horizontal direction , steel ball attached with plane will also be moving with the same speed. Even if ball is air while falling , it keeps moving with the speed of aeroplane . Hence it will again fall on point X exactly . It is due to first law of motion or it is due to law of inertia.