Question

If a train is traveling at 60 m/s and a person runs and jumps off the rear of said train (opposite direction of travel) at 3 m/s. Which direction would the person travel? Would they continue to move in the opposite direction of the train, move with the train at relative speed, or drop straight downward?

Answer 1

Variations on this question are probably the most frequent question I answer. I always say that you always have to specify velocity relative to what. In your question, I take it that the velocity of the train relative to the ground is 60 m/s and the velocity of the person relative to the train is 3 m/s in the opposite direction as the train's velocity. The velocity of the person relative to the ground is 57 m/s in the direction of the train's velocity. An observer on the ground would see the person with a horizontal velocity of 57 m/s regardless of whether he was on the train or had jumped off the back. Once he is off the train he will begin falling and hit the ground with both horizontal and vertical components of his velocity. For example, if he starts at a height of 2 m above the ground, his vertical component when he hits the ground will be about 6.3 m/s so his total speed will be √(572+6.32)=57.3 m/s.

Answer 2

(I know its long and not very important but there's your answer!)

Answer 3

Thank you so much!!

Answer 4

You're welcome.