A passenger at the rear of a train traveling
at 16 m/s relative to Earth throws a baseball with a speed of 15 m/s in the direction
opposite the motion of the train.
What is the velocity of the baseball relative
to Earth as it leaves the thrower’s hand?
Answer in units of m/s.
+16 - 15 = +1 m/s
To find the velocity of the baseball relative to Earth as it leaves the thrower's hand, we need to consider both the velocity of the train and the velocity of the baseball relative to the train.
The velocity of the train is given as 16 m/s. Since the passenger is at the rear of the train, their velocity relative to Earth will be the same as the train's velocity.
The velocity of the baseball relative to the train is given as 15 m/s in the direction opposite the motion of the train.
To find the velocity of the baseball relative to Earth, we need to add the two velocities together. Since the direction of the baseball's velocity is opposite to that of the train, we subtract the velocity of the baseball relative to the train from the velocity of the train relative to Earth.
Therefore, the velocity of the baseball relative to Earth as it leaves the thrower's hand is:
16 m/s (velocity of the train) - 15 m/s (velocity of the baseball relative to the train) = 1 m/s.
So, the answer is 1 m/s.