Chapter 2.2, Problem 19R

To determine

To describe: the motion of a person relative to the bus and relative to the ground.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

Velocity is the rate of change of position of an object with respect to time. Velocity is said to be constant velocity if the magnitude and direction are not changing with time. Relative motion between two objects is the motion in two different frames of reference with respect to each other.

The difference in the magnitude and the direction between two objects in motion or rest is relative velocity.

The bus is moving with constant speed so with relative to the bus, the person has the same velocity. Thus the relative velocity remains the same and distance appears to be constant.

Relative to the ground, the distance between the bus and the person would be increasing and the bus appears to be moving faster. The relative velocity appears to be increasing.

Conclusion:

Hence, the relative velocity remains the same and distance appears to be constant. The relative velocity appears to be increasing in relative to the ground.