A small glider is coasting horizontally when suddenly a very heavy piece of carg

Question

A small glider is coasting horizontally when suddenly a very heavy piece of cargo falls out of the bottom of the plane. You can neglect air resistance. Right after the cargo has fallen out, which of the following correctly describes the horizontal speeds of the plane and the cargo? The horizontal speed of the plane goes up and that of the cargo goes down The horizontal speed of the plane goes down and that of the cargo goes up neither the cargo nor the plane change their horizontal speeds The horizontal speeds of both the plane and the cargo go down The horizontal speeds of both the plane and the cargo go up

Explanation / Answer

The horizontal speeds of the plane and the cargo remain equal before the cargo is inside the plane. When the cargo falls from the plane, it falls under the influence of gravity. The speed of the cargo is resolved into two components, one is vertical speed and another horizontal speed. The vertical speed will start increasing. This means that the vertical speeds of the plane and the cargo will be different. The horizontal speed of the slider remains the same and is equal to the initial speed at which it falls from the plane. Thus, the horizontal speeds of the plane and cargo do not change.

Therefore, the correct option is C. neither the cargo nor the plane changes their horizontal speeds.

Other options are discarded due to the above explanation.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse A
• Subjects

---

---

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.