I'm having trouble understanding this frame of reference question.
You are traveling in a car going at a constant speed of 100 km/hr down
a long, straight highway. You pass another car going in the same
direction which is traveling at a constant speed of 80 km/hr. As
measured from your car’s reference frame this other car is traveling
at -20 km/hr. What is the acceleration of your car as measured from
the other car’s reference frame? What is the acceleration of the other
car as measured from your car’s reference frame?
Shouldn't they both appear to have an acceleration of zero, because both velocities are constant? I can imagine sitting in the faster car and watching the slower car, its speed would not appear to change, only its position?
Thanks
Best Answer
Yes. Acceleration is zero. Note the word constant used to describe both speeds.