Question about Galileo's principle of relativity

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of Galileo's principle of relativity and its implications on determining motion. The discussion also touches on the idea of relative velocity and how it can be interpreted differently. Ultimately, it is concluded that the burning of fuel in a vehicle does not provide any information about its absolute velocity.
  • #1
vmtgomes
4
0
Hello guys, this is my first post. I'm not sure if it is supposed to be in this section.

But, if Galileo's principle of relativity says we can't do any experiments which would tell whether we are moving or stationary, why can't we say, for example, that if a vehicle with constant velocity relative to Earth is in fact moving as we notice that there is no fuel available after some time?
 
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  • #2
Because you could equally argue that the car is stationary and the Earth was moving and that since friction between the Earth and car would tend to drag the car with the Earth, the car must use up fuel in order to overcome this friction and "stay in place".

All the car burning fuel tells us is that there is a velocity difference between car and Earth, it tells us nothing about the absolute velocity of either.
 
  • #3
Oh, I see!

Thank you.
 

1. What is Galileo's principle of relativity?

Galileo's principle of relativity states that the laws of physics are the same in all inertial frames of reference. In other words, the laws of motion are the same for all observers moving at a constant velocity.

2. How did Galileo's principle of relativity contribute to the development of modern physics?

Galileo's principle of relativity laid the foundation for the concept of relative motion, which is a fundamental concept in modern physics. It also influenced the development of Albert Einstein's theory of special relativity.

3. Can you give an example of Galileo's principle of relativity in action?

One example of Galileo's principle of relativity is the observation of a ball rolling on a moving train. To an observer on the train, the ball appears to be moving in a straight line at a constant speed. However, to an observer outside the train, the ball appears to be moving in a curved path due to the train's motion.

4. How does Galileo's principle of relativity differ from Newton's laws of motion?

While Newton's laws of motion describe the relationship between an object's motion and the forces acting on it, Galileo's principle of relativity focuses on the idea that the laws of physics are the same for all observers in inertial frames of reference. In other words, it does not take into account the effects of external forces on an object.

5. Has Galileo's principle of relativity been proven to be true?

Galileo's principle of relativity has been extensively tested and has been found to hold true in many different situations. However, it is important to note that it is based on the assumption that the laws of physics are the same in all inertial frames of reference, which may not be the case in extreme situations such as near the speed of light or in the presence of strong gravitational fields.

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