A passenger on a train that is moving due east at a constant speed of (relative to…
PHYSICS · Multi-part · CBSE · Physics · Motion in a Plane · Motion in a Plane
Problem
A passenger on a train that is moving due east at a constant speed of 20ms−1 (relative to the ground) tosses a 0.50kg ball straight forward inside the aisle so that its speed relative to the passenger is 5.0ms−1. Neglect air resistance.
(a) Determine the ball’s speed relative to the ground while it is airborne inside the train.
(b) Calculate the ball’s translational kinetic energy as measured by the passenger.
(c) Calculate the ball’s translational kinetic energy as measured by a trackside observer on the ground.
(d) By how much does the ball’s kinetic-energy value differ between the two observers? Provide a clear justification for the numerical difference in terms of each observer’s measurement of speed.