Question

Person sitting in a moving train throws a ball vertically upwards.How will the ball appear to move to an observe

(i) sitting inside the train,

(ii) standing outside the train? Give reason.

Answer 1

(i) To the observer inside the train, the ball will appear to move straight vertically upwards and then downwards because with respect to an observer, sitting inside the train, the ball has only one velocity acting vertically downward.

(ii) To the observer outside the train, the ball will appear to move along the parabolic path because with respect to the observer outside the train, the ball has both horizontal and vertical components of velocity.