Use this tag for questions related to how objects move relative to other objects dependent on your frame of reference, and how this applies to special relativity.
Questions tagged [relative-motion]
694 questions
5
votes
7 answers
Why a type of motion is relative and another is not?
Two scientists are completely isolated in two different boxes:
First box moves uniformly straight (in a perfect space).
Second box rotates uniformly (also in a perfect space).
The scientists have any instrument to detect his movement. Who makes?…
Stefan
- 608
- 2
- 6
- 16
2
votes
1 answer
Bullet from circular motion
I'm thinking of a problem that I can't verify at this moment, so I'd need your help.
There's a person (Carl) on a circular platform, at a distance R from the center, the platform is moving with angular velocity w.
Carl fires a bullet toward the…
Matte
- 23
1
vote
2 answers
Can relative velocity be found?
Can you find the relative velocity between two cars with constant velocity of U1 and U2=-U1. In other words is there any kind of experiment you can do to understand that you are moving also and not just seeing the other car with 2U1?
T . Katsipis
- 71
1
vote
3 answers
Unable to understand relative motion
If you sit in a fast moving car on a highway, you will see the objects outside the window moving backwards with respect to you. Assume that your motion is uniform. One would think that all static objects would move backwards with uniform…
0
votes
1 answer
Ferris wheel and projectile
Imagine there's a little girl/boy sitting on one of the seats of a Ferris wheel. She/he throws out a stone and sees that it's experiencing the velocity v. Meanwhile, another observer standing on the ground sees that the stone is thrown with a…
Sogol
- 29
0
votes
2 answers
What angle does a projectile have to be shot on a rotating disk in order to pass through the center?
Let us consider the following setup:
We have a rotating disk of radius $r$ and with angular velocity $\omega$. At the periphery of the disk, we have a projectile with some mass that's sent with a velocity $v$ in some direction $\theta$, my question…
Tanamas
- 354
0
votes
2 answers
Question regarding relative velocities
Suppose I am solving a question, which has statement written
the velocity of boat in still water 10m/s
Now the question turns to a flowing river, so what will 10m/s be, the relative velocity of the boat wrt the river, or it’s absolute velocity?…
Aditya
- 113
0
votes
2 answers
Is the weight of a bicycle frame significant compared to the body weight?
Some of my colleagues had a discussion about the question if the weight of a bicycle frame is significant compared to the weight of the rider‘s body. One argues that the weight of the frame can simply be added to the body’s weight when the rider…
Bastian
- 103
0
votes
0 answers
Cartesian basis vectors in polar coordinates
I'm trying to solve a problem which includes a spinning object and I want to find it's velocity vector with respect to an object moving in a straight line on the the x axis with constant velocity.
I can represent the spinning object's velocity in…
Yizhar Amir
- 152
0
votes
1 answer
Relative motion, is there any "safe" way to find out initial conditions for a point particle?
I'm trying to solve exercises about relative motion and having hard times in finding out the initial conditions in respect to the inertial and non-intertial frame of reference, while I'm able to do everything else. Here's a fine example (pretty easy…
Baffo rasta
- 127
0
votes
1 answer
How to calculate angle between two objects going at relative velocity
I am having trouble with a relative velocity exercise. If any of you could bring some light on it i would be very happy.
The exercise as it is on the book:
The relative velocity of a butterfly and a bat with respect to the ground are 10 m/s and…
0
votes
1 answer
Relative Motion Calculations
Ok, so I was wondering if I could get a clear explanation of why we solve relative motion problems the way we do?
so I'm given the problem where I have 2 cars, car A and Car B. Now car A is traveling at 24km/hr relative to the earth, and car B is…
MathLearner
- 85
0
votes
1 answer
Speed of sound in moving closed container
If I am standing in an airplane (air inside moving with the plane) with a someone talking to me while the plane is going 800k/hr. Would the the speed of the sound of the person talking to me go 800k/hr + the speed of sound relative to Earth or would…
Hawkeye
- 105
0
votes
1 answer
What is the velocity relative to earth?
I'm having trouble distinguishing between different relative velocities.
Example:
Say I'm riding my bike at a constant speed of 5 m/s in a straight line. While riding my bike I throw a baseball with an initial velocity and with an angle theta with…
guest
- 13
0
votes
1 answer
Relative Velocities/Accelerations
I seem to just not understand how relative velocities and accelerations work.
Here is a problem that I will use to ask my question:
When the box lands, its moving 3m/s to the right, and the belt is moving 1m/s to the right. Therefore, the velocity…
