If our planet is travelling at 10000 mph (just using hypothetical numbers) and you launched a rocket into space at 10000 mph (ignoring the planets rotational speed to keep this simple) on the same exact path the planet is moving, would the rocket be moving at 20000 mph in space?
velocity has to be relative to something. What was the planet moving at 10Kmph relative to? Was it moving? What was the rocket relative to?
The earth is realtive to space? I don't know how they measure the speed earth is traveling. But the rocket would be relative the to same measurement as the planet's speed.
The simple answer is yes, it is going 20k mph. However, that is a simple answer.
To answer this question, we need to understand the concept of relative motion.
When you launch a rocket into space, its speed is measured relative to its starting point or a frame of reference. In this case, if you launch the rocket from the Earth's surface, the speed of the rocket will be measured relative to the Earth.
Now, let's break down the scenario:
1. Earth's velocity: 10,000 mph (moving in a straight line)
2. Rocket's velocity: 10,000 mph (on the same path as the Earth)
If you measure the rocket's speed relative to the Earth, using two separate reference frames, you might think that the rocket's speed would be 20,000 mph, as the Earth and the rocket are moving in the same direction.
However, in reality, the rocket's velocity would not simply sum up with the Earth's velocity. This is because the rocket experiences the same initial momentum as the Earth but is no longer subject to the gravitational pull and friction caused by the atmosphere once it leaves the planet's surface.
In space, without any external forces acting on it, the rocket would continue moving at the same speed it had when it left the Earth's surface, independent of the Earth's speed. Therefore, the rocket would continue traveling at 10,000 mph in space, relative to its own frame of reference.
In conclusion, the rocket would not be moving at 20,000 mph in space. Its speed would remain at 10,000 mph, as it is no longer influenced by the Earth's movement once it leaves the planet's atmosphere.