ELi5: Why is it that if you are in a moving train and jump, you stay in the same spot, but if you stand on top of a moving train and jump, you do not?
In: 3
Air resistance.
Inside the train cabin, all the air is also moving along with the same forward speed that you and the train have. So even while you’re in the air, there’s nothing pushing sideways on you.
Outside of the train, the air is standing still. So when you’re on the roof of the train, you and the train are moving forward with the same speed, but the air isn’t. So when you jump, you’re moving at 50mph in stationary air. That’s the same as a 50mph wind pushing back on you, so you move back.
This is all the same reason why when you’re driving 80mph in a car you don’t feel a wind in your face. The air inside is going along with you.
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