Newton's first law of motion states that an object in motion will continue to move at constant speed in a straight line. Only an outside force can change the speed or direction. If the object is at rest, it will remain at rest, unless an outside force is exerted on it.
Suppose you are standing in the aisle of a jumbo jet parked at its terminal. You jump straight up. Where will you land? That is an easy question to answer. You will land in the same place from which you jumped. But now suppose the jet is moving at a speed of 600 km/hr. You jump straight up again. Where will you land?
1). Continue walking at a constant speed. This time, stop instantly just after you release the ball upward. Where does the ball land?
2). Continue walking at a constant speed. Just after you release the ball upward, break into a run. Where does the ball land?
3). Continue walking at a constant speed. Just after you release the ball upward, make a sharp right turn. Where does the ball land?
4). Where would you land on the jumbo jet that is moving at 600 km/hr?
How can you say it any more precisely. You jump up in the moving plane, you come down in the same spot from which you jumped.
1) If you stop instantly just after releasing the ball upward while walking at a constant speed, the ball will continue moving in the same direction as your original motion and land behind you. So, watch out for any unsuspecting passengers!
2) If you break into a run just after releasing the ball upward while walking at a constant speed, the ball will still land behind you, but you might end up in a comical stumbling act trying to keep up with the ball. Safety first, though!
3) If you make a sharp right turn just after releasing the ball upward while walking at a constant speed, the ball will also be affected by the sudden change in direction. It will continue moving in the original direction of your motion but will curve to the side and land off to your right. Time to show off your impressive throwing skills!
4) If you jump straight up on a jumbo jet moving at 600 km/hr, things might get a little interesting. Due to inertia, you would continue moving forward at the aircraft's speed while also experiencing an upward motion. So, expect to land slightly behind your original position, and don't forget to hold on tight to your sense of adventure!
1) If you continue walking at a constant speed and stop instantly after releasing the ball upward, the ball will land back in your hand. This is because, according to Newton's first law, an object in motion will continue to move in a straight line at a constant speed unless acted upon by an outside force. When you stop walking, the ball retains the forward motion it had from your hand, and it falls straight back into your hand due to the force of gravity.
2) If, instead of stopping, you break into a run just after releasing the ball upward, the ball will land slightly behind you. As you accelerate forward, the ball will continue to move forward due to its initial momentum. However, while in the air, it will experience a downward force due to gravity, causing it to fall slightly behind your new position.
3) Continuing to walk at a constant speed and making a sharp right turn after releasing the ball upward will result in the ball landing to the right of your current position. The ball retains its forward momentum while in the air, but your change in direction causes it to miss your new position and land to the right.
4) On a jumbo jet moving at 600 km/hr, jumping straight up will result in you landing back in the same spot from which you jumped. This is because, when you jump vertically, you are moving at the same speed as the plane. Thus, relative to the plane, you do not have any horizontal motion. Therefore, you will land in the same place on the moving plane as you would if it were stationary.