If a truck that has a back ramp on it is going 70 miles an hour down the road, and you are traveling 75 behind it, you would soon reach it. If you were to try to get up onto its ramp, would you:
A: Since you are going 75 miles an hour and it is going 70, be able to get up onto it and break easily because you will then really be going 5 miles an hour.
OR
B: Fly right over the top of the truck because your speed will greatly increase.
To determine what would happen if you tried to get up onto the truck's back ramp, we need to consider the relative velocities involved.
First, let's clarify the scenario: You are travelling at 75 miles per hour, and the truck with the back ramp is travelling at 70 miles per hour.
Relative velocity is the difference in velocities between two objects. In this case, the relative velocity between you and the truck can be calculated by subtracting the truck's velocity from your velocity:
Relative velocity = Your velocity - Truck velocity
Relative velocity = 75 mph - 70 mph
Relative velocity = 5 mph
Now, let's analyze the options:
A: Since you are going 75 miles an hour and the truck is going 70, will you be able to get up onto it and brake easily because you will then be going 5 miles an hour?
If you were to get up onto the truck's back ramp, your relative velocity with respect to the truck would indeed decrease to 5 miles per hour. However, braking might not be as easy as it seems. It's worth noting that the truck is still moving forward at 70 miles per hour, and sudden braking at 5 miles per hour could lead to instability and potential hazards. Additionally, attempting to get onto a moving truck's back ramp is highly dangerous and not recommended.
B: Fly right over the top of the truck because your speed will greatly increase.
Based on the relative velocity calculation, your relative velocity is only 5 miles per hour. This means that trying to get up onto the ramp would not cause your speed to greatly increase. In fact, you would still be moving at a similar speed compared to the truck. Therefore, this option is not accurate.
In conclusion, attempting to get up onto the truck's ramp while travelling behind it would not result in a significant change in your speed. However, it is important to emphasize that trying to get onto a moving truck's ramp is extremely dangerous and should never be attempted.