Question

car is travelling at a high speed when it banks into a sharp left turn. Which of the following statements best describes the reason a passenger in the vehicle is pressed outwards against the right side of the vehicle?
A) The centrifugal force of the circular turn pushes them outwards.
B) The centripetal force of the circular turn pushes them outwards.
C) The passenger’s inertia maintains their velocity through the path since objects in motion tend to stay in motion.
D) The force of friction between the seat and the passenger does not generate sufficient force.
E) The force exerted by the door on the passenger does not exert sufficient force.

Answer 1

Hint: This question can be solved by applying Newton's first law which is also known as law of inertia. Let us apply the inertia concept to this question, it will make it easier to solve this question.

Complete step by step answer:Let us consider a ball is at rest, it will continue to be at rest until we push it by applying some amount of force. If it is already in uniform motion, then it will continue to be in uniform motion until we apply some amount of force on it. So, we conclude that any object which is at rest continuous to be at rest or in uniform motion until an external force is applied on it. This was explained by the great scientist Newton. This is known as Newton's first law of motion which gives the qualitative explanation of force. Newton’s first law also known as law of inertia. To understand the reason behind this name we should first understand the concept inertia.
Let us consider 2 objects of masses 1 kg and 2 kg initially at rest. If we apply the same amount of force on both objects, the lighter one will change its state from rest to motion quickly compared to heavier one. That means it will resist by less amount than heavier one to change its state from rest. This tendency of material to resist to change its state is known as inertia.
We can take one simple example which we experience in our daily life. Just imagine you are standing in a bus which is not moving, as soon as the bus starts moving you may tend to fall backwards as your lower part of body in contact with the floor starts to move but the upper part of body, due to inertia, would remain at rest. This phenomenon is known as inertia of rest.
When the bus stops, your lower part of the body which is in contact with bus stops, but due to inertia the upper part continues to move forward and thus you tend to fall forward. This phenomenon is known as inertia of motion.
Now, let us analyse the given question. When a car is travelling at a high speed when it banks into a sharp left turn, a passenger in the vehicle is pressed outwards against the right side of the vehicle because of inertia. When a car is moving in a straight line and suddenly takes a left turn then due to inertia of motion the passengers tends to move in a straight line hence a passenger in the vehicle is pressed outwards against the right side of the vehicle.

The correct answer is option (C) .

Note:In this question it is mis consumption that the passenger in the vehicle is pressed outwards against the right side of the vehicle is due to the centrifugal force which is force of the circular turn pushes them outwards. But actually, there is no force that exists as a centrifugal force, it’s a pseudo force. The passenger falls outward is only due to the inertia.