Release a ball inside a freely falling elevator and it falls directly in front of you instead of "falling to the floor," because you, ball, elevator, and enclosed air are in free fall. If you do the same with a helium-filled balloon, the balloon will
A)also remain in front of you.
B)press against the ceiling.
C)press against the floor.
D)slowly rise.
E)slowly fall.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In a freely falling elevator, everything inside is in a state of free fall, including the helium balloon. This means that the balloon, like the ball, will also remain in front of you due to the lack of a relative force acting on it differently than on the surrounding air, elevator, or yourself.

Release a Ball Inside a Freely Falling Elevator and It