Falling Elevator - Projectiles

[PFuser1232]

What would be seen if a ball were projected at an angle to the horizontal in a falling elevator? Would the path be parabolic as always? And why?

 

[Simon Bridge]

Try working out the problem in an inertial frame, and then working out what happens from the POV of someone falling with the lift.

Or another way: you have heard of "free fall" right?
What happens to ball's thrown in free fall?

 

[PFuser1232]

Try working out the problem in an inertial frame, and then working out what happens from the POV of someone falling with the lift.

Or another way: you have heard of "free fall" right?
What happens to ball's thrown in free fall?

The path would be parabolic whether or not the reference frame was accelerated?

 

[ZapperZ]

The path would be parabolic whether or not the reference frame was accelerated?

Hint: The "vomit" airplane that astronauts practice into simulate zero-g is an airplane in free-fall.

So think again, what do you think the path should look like?

Zz.

 

[Doc Al]

The path would be parabolic whether or not the reference frame was accelerated?

Imagine you released a ball from your hand while in that free falling elevator. What would happen?

 

[PFuser1232]

Imagine you released a ball from your hand while in that free falling elevator. What would happen?

From my reference frame the ball would be stationary.

 

[Doc Al]

From my reference frame the ball would be stationary.

Good! Now what happens if you gave it an initial velocity?

 

[PFuser1232]

Good! Now what happens if you gave it an initial velocity?

It would simply move in a straight line.

 

[Doc Al]

It would simply move in a straight line.

Yep.

 

[PFuser1232]

So the velocity of the ball relative to me would be constant?

 

[Doc Al]

So the velocity of the ball relative to me would be constant?

That's correct.