Fly hitting a train physics problem

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The physics problem discusses the scenario of a fly traveling at 5mph towards a train moving at 100mph. At the moment of impact, the fly continues to travel at 5mph until the collision occurs. The discussion clarifies that while the fly's direction changes upon impact, its speed remains 5mph until the moment of collision, contradicting the notion of a crossover point where the fly would be at 0mph.

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If a train is traveling 100mph in one direction and a fly is traveling 5mph the opposite, and the fly hits the train what speed is the fly traveling at the point of impact?
 
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girojim said:
If a train is traveling 100mph in one direction and a fly is traveling 5mph the opposite, and the fly hits the train what speed is the fly traveling at the point of impact?

5mph. Same speed all the way up until the fly is killed by the impact. Is this a homework question?
 
berkeman said:
5mph. Same speed all the way up until the fly is killed by the impact. Is this a homework question?

but surely it changes direction, so at some point it must be traveling at 0mph?

It goes from traveling at 5mph West and then when it hits the train it is traveling 100mph East, so there must be a crossover point when it is neither traveling East or West and is therefore traveling at 0mph?
 

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