An object is shot from the back of a railroad flatcar moving at 40 km/h on a straight horizontal road.The launcher is aimed upward, perpendicular to the bed of the flatcar.The object falls:
A)in front of the flatcar
B)behind the flatcar
C)on the flatcar
D)either behind or in front of the flatcar, depending on the initial speed of the object
E)to the side of the flatcar

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The object maintains the horizontal velocity of the flatcar due to inertia, so when it is shot upward and falls back down, it does so in a path that keeps it above the flatcar, assuming no external horizontal forces act on it.

An Object Is Shot from the Back of a Railroad