A balloon floats inside a stopped car. When the car starts moving forward, the balloon appears to move backward relative to the car. Which statement best explains this observation?(1 point)
The observation that the balloon appears to move backward relative to the car when it starts moving forward can be explained by the concept of relative motion. When the car accelerates forward, it exerts a force on the air inside the car. The air molecules inside the car move toward the back of the car due to this force. The balloon, being filled with air, is carried along with the movement of the air molecules and appears to move backward relative to the car. This is because the air inside the car is experiencing an acceleration in the opposite direction to the car's motion.
This observation can be explained by the principle of relative motion. When the car starts moving forward, the air inside the car also starts moving with the car. However, the balloon is not directly attached to the car and is free to move independently. As a result, the balloon continues to move in its original direction until it is acted upon by an external force, such as air resistance or friction. This creates the illusion that the balloon is moving backward relative to the car, even though it is actually moving forward with the air inside the car.
The observation that the balloon appears to move backward relative to the car when the car starts moving forward can be explained by inertia and the concept of relative motion.
Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist any change in its state of motion. When the car starts moving forward, the air molecules inside the car also start moving along with the car due to their inertia. However, the balloon is filled with air which is less dense than the air inside the car. As a result, the balloon experiences less resistance from the air molecules inside the car and tends to move independently of the car's motion.
Now, let's consider the concept of relative motion. Relative motion refers to the observation of an object's motion from a different reference frame. In this case, we are observing the motion of the balloon from the reference frame of the car.
From the perspective of the car, the balloon is initially stationary inside the car. When the car starts moving forward, it accelerates and gains speed. However, due to inertia, the balloon lags behind the car's motion and tries to remain at its original position. As a result, it appears as though the balloon is moving backward relative to the car.
This observation is similar to what happens when we drop an object inside a moving vehicle. Even though the vehicle is moving forward, the object initially appears to move backward or fall behind as it tries to maintain its original position due to inertia.
In summary, the observation that the balloon appears to move backward relative to the car when the car starts moving forward can be explained by the combination of inertia, which causes the balloon to lag behind the car's motion, and the concept of relative motion, which allows us to observe the motion of the balloon from the reference frame of the car.