Question
spaceship is moving through space at a constant velocity. An astronaut inside the spaceship releases a small object. How would the motion of the object appear to the astronaut inside the spaceship?
The object would appear to accelerate forward.
The object would appear to move backward relative to the spaceship.
The object would appear to fall to the floor of the spaceship.
The object would appear to remain stationary relative to the astronaut.
The object would appear to accelerate forward.
The object would appear to move backward relative to the spaceship.
The object would appear to fall to the floor of the spaceship.
The object would appear to remain stationary relative to the astronaut.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The correct answer is: **The object would appear to remain stationary relative to the astronaut.**
Since the spaceship is moving through space at a constant velocity, everything inside the spaceship, including the astronaut and the released object, is in a state of uniform motion relative to each other. When the astronaut releases the object, it will continue to move at the same constant velocity as the spaceship (assuming we neglect any effects of gravity or other forces). Therefore, to the astronaut, it would appear as if the object remains stationary relative to them.
Since the spaceship is moving through space at a constant velocity, everything inside the spaceship, including the astronaut and the released object, is in a state of uniform motion relative to each other. When the astronaut releases the object, it will continue to move at the same constant velocity as the spaceship (assuming we neglect any effects of gravity or other forces). Therefore, to the astronaut, it would appear as if the object remains stationary relative to them.