- #1
Sidewalk
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Well guess what, I'm confused again...
OK. Subject A is in a train which is moving eastbound along a track. If A throws a ball straight up into the air, it comes straight down as expected into his/her hands rather than landing behind (westbound of A), because the train and the air in it are all moving along at the same pace.
Now, if A starts running backwards (westbound) towards the back end of the train at the exact speed of the train moving eastbound, then to an observer on the platform outside the train, A would be staying in the same place, and would be able to wave, and even have a conversation through the window if desired with the outside observer. Right?
Now, let's say the train were much larger, and moving much faster, say at 200 km/ph eastbound, and it happened to be a very long train. Imagine a helicopter (A) sitting inside of the train. This helicopter (A) could take off straight up (still inside the train moving eastbound) and hover, without any forward or reverse motion relative to observers on the train.
Now, to go back to the first analogy, if A gradually started to fly back towards the end of the train (westbound), gradually accelerating until it was finally also traveling @ 200 km / h, only in the opposite direction, then an outside observer on a platform could hypothetically be watching the helicopter "hover - stay in one place" inside the train moving eastbound directly in front of them, even though in relation to the inside environment of the train, the helicopter would be moving at 200 km/ph westbound. Same as someone running, only faster. - Makes sense, right?
OK - Question time - Let's say that the train was not a regular train (we know this already due to it's enormous size of course), but that it had a completely open back.
So what happens when the A runs out of train, that is arrives at the end of it's environment? Once the train were gone would it stay there hovering in line with the observer, drop suddenly to the ground, or take off directly westbound at 200km/h, or perhaps at another speed?
A had a lot of (westbound) motion relative to it's environment while it was in the train, so if that environment suddenly dissapears what happens?
Thanks for your feedback as always -
Sidewalk
OK. Subject A is in a train which is moving eastbound along a track. If A throws a ball straight up into the air, it comes straight down as expected into his/her hands rather than landing behind (westbound of A), because the train and the air in it are all moving along at the same pace.
Now, if A starts running backwards (westbound) towards the back end of the train at the exact speed of the train moving eastbound, then to an observer on the platform outside the train, A would be staying in the same place, and would be able to wave, and even have a conversation through the window if desired with the outside observer. Right?
Now, let's say the train were much larger, and moving much faster, say at 200 km/ph eastbound, and it happened to be a very long train. Imagine a helicopter (A) sitting inside of the train. This helicopter (A) could take off straight up (still inside the train moving eastbound) and hover, without any forward or reverse motion relative to observers on the train.
Now, to go back to the first analogy, if A gradually started to fly back towards the end of the train (westbound), gradually accelerating until it was finally also traveling @ 200 km / h, only in the opposite direction, then an outside observer on a platform could hypothetically be watching the helicopter "hover - stay in one place" inside the train moving eastbound directly in front of them, even though in relation to the inside environment of the train, the helicopter would be moving at 200 km/ph westbound. Same as someone running, only faster. - Makes sense, right?
OK - Question time - Let's say that the train was not a regular train (we know this already due to it's enormous size of course), but that it had a completely open back.
So what happens when the A runs out of train, that is arrives at the end of it's environment? Once the train were gone would it stay there hovering in line with the observer, drop suddenly to the ground, or take off directly westbound at 200km/h, or perhaps at another speed?
A had a lot of (westbound) motion relative to it's environment while it was in the train, so if that environment suddenly dissapears what happens?
Thanks for your feedback as always -
Sidewalk