Doing long jump inside aircraft in flight

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the physics of performing a long jump inside an aircraft in flight, specifically examining whether the direction of the jump (towards the tail or the nose) affects the distance jumped. The context includes principles of relative motion and the conditions of flight.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that jumping towards the tail of the aircraft would result in a longer jump due to changes when feet are off the floor.
  • Another participant argues that the distance jumped should be the same in either direction, assuming the aircraft is in level flight with constant velocity and no interior airflow.
  • A third participant references the principle of relativity to support the claim that the jump distance remains unchanged regardless of direction.
  • Further, a participant questions the initial premise by asking what happens if one simply hops in place within the aircraft.
  • The original poster expresses gratitude for the responses and indicates that they have clarified the concept to their friend, suggesting that the friend's understanding may have been influenced by the aircraft's flight conditions.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally disagree on the initial premise regarding the effect of jump direction on distance. Multiple competing views remain regarding the influence of relative motion in an aircraft.

Contextual Notes

The discussion does not resolve the assumptions about the aircraft's flight conditions, such as whether it is in level flight or experiencing other factors that could influence the jump.

ajaustin
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A friend of mine who has a lot of experience with aircraft tells me the following:-

If you do a long jump in an aircraft flying at 500mph you will be able to jump considerably further jumping towards the tail than jumping towards the nose.

His premise seems to be that something changes when your feet are off the floor.

I think what he is saying is incorrect and that the distance jumped will be the same in either direction as the whole activity takes place relative to the velocity of the aircraft. I am assuming that the aircraft is in level flight, traveling at constant velocity and has no air flow in its interior.
 
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You are correct. This is called the principle of relativity.
 
Your friend has a naive concept of relative motion.

Ask him what happens on a plane if you attempt to simply hop in place? Will you land farther back?
 
Thanks for your responses, most helpful, sorry if it was a rather trivial question.

I have now been able to enlighten my friend on the subject. I seems that the pilot of the aircraft may have been having him on as they were probably not in level flight.
 

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