A balloon floats inside a stopped car. When the car starts moving forward, the balloon appears to move backwards relative to the car. Which statement best explains this observation?
1. The car moves forward, while inertia keeps the balloon in place.
2. The force of inertia on the balloon balances the force from the motion of the car.
3. Inertia prevents the force of the car from acting on the balloon.
4. The motion of the car creates an unbalanced backward force on the balloon.
2. The force of inertia on the balloon balances the force from the motion of the car.
3. Inertia prevents the force of the car from acting on the balloon.
The correct statement that best explains this observation is option 1: The car moves forward, while inertia keeps the balloon in place.
Explanation:
When the car is at rest, there are no external forces acting on the balloon. The only force the balloon experiences is the force of gravity pulling it downwards. As a result, the balloon remains stationary inside the car.
When the car starts moving forward, it accelerates, exerting a force on everything inside the car, including the balloon. However, due to inertia, the balloon resists this change in its state of motion. Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its motion.
Since the balloon was initially at rest, it tends to remain at rest as the car starts to move forward. As a result, the balloon appears to move backward relative to the car even though it is technically not moving backward at all. It is the car that is moving forward, and the balloon's inertia makes it appear as if the balloon is moving backward.
In summary, the observation is best explained by the first statement because inertia keeps the balloon in place while the car starts moving forward.