Suppose You Are in a Jet Airliner Traveling at a Constant

question 36

Multiple Choice

Suppose you are in a jet airliner traveling at a constant speed of 400 km/h in a constant direction.All windows are blocked,so you cannot see outside,and there are no vibrations from the engines.What experiment can you do to determine that you are in fact moving?

• A) Suspend a ball by a thread from the ceiling and measure the angle the thread makes with the vertical.
• B) None-all experiments will give the same results that you would get when at rest on the ground.
• C) Measure the speed of a sound wave traveling up the aisle (toward the nose of the aircraft) and another traveling down toward the tail, and calculate the difference between the two results.
• D) Drop a small rock and measure the distance it moves backward down the aisle as it falls.

---

Definitions:

Macula

A small, specialized central area of the retina responsible for sharp, detailed central vision.

Vitreous Humor

The clear, gel-like substance that fills the space between the lens and the retina in the eyeball, helping it maintain shape.

Choroid

A layer of blood vessels and connective tissue between the sclera and retina in the eye, providing oxygen and nutrients to the outer layers of the retina.

Cycloplegia

Paralysis of the ciliary muscle of the eye, resulting in a loss of accommodation and inability to focus on near objects, often as an effect of certain drugs or conditions.