Shooting an arrow from a train.......

[Moley]

Let's assume you had a bow and arrow and you were stood at the rear of a train facing the back and the corridor door was open. If you were to shoot the arrow through the open doorway what would happen to the arrow once it passed through the doorway? Let's use some simple figures here. Let's assume the arrow was traveling at 60mph. The train is also traveling at 60mph. Once the arrow passes out through the doorway the speed of the train would cancel out the speed of the arrow? Would the arrow just drop?

 

[mainline]

Let's assume you had a bow and arrow and you were stood at the rear of a train facing the back and the corridor door was open. If you were to shoot the arrow through the open doorway what would happen to the arrow once it passed through the doorway? Let's use some simple figures here. Let's assume the arrow was traveling at 60mph. The train is also traveling at 60mph. Once the arrow passes out through the doorway the speed of the train would cancel out the speed of the arrow? Would the arrow just drop?

To someone outside, it would fall to the ground.

 

[Avo Mk8]

To someone outside, it would fall to the ground.

Agreed.
I suspect there would be air turbulence/ a vortex at the back of the train, as the carriage pulls air along behind the train, so the arrow might find itself in turbulent air. It might stay airborne momentarily in that air current, possibly turning in an unexpected direction, and then descend to the ground I guess roughly at the stationary point where it was fired from, as you say.

 

[littlespark]

Everything in the train has momentum….
The archer, bow and arrow are already travelling at the speed of the train… as is all the air within the train.


Shooting an arrow on a moving train would act the same as standing still…. But only to everyone observing on the train.

What if the train goes round a corner?

 

[mainline]

What if the train goes round a corner?

Everyone on board would probably die after the train derails.

 

[mainline]

Shooting an arrow out the back of a moving train - Page 2

Shooting an arrow out the back of a moving train - Page 2

www.eevblog.com

 

[Moley]

Well, the confirmation is here thanks to a couple of internet searches and Mythbusters

 

[Moley]

Shooting an arrow out the back of a moving train - Page 2

Shooting an arrow out the back of a moving train - Page 2

www.eevblog.com

That's where I first read it. I read the first post and thought I would look into it myself - and see what you lot thought.

 

[littlespark]

I suppose shooting the arrow out the back of the train makes more sense than standing at the back and shooting forward.....

Would you, still standing on a moving train, catch up with the arrow which is now in flight?


What if you put Schrodinger's cat in his box and threw it from the back of a moving train?

 

[Moley]

Does it make more sense? If you were facing forward then the arrow would be traveling at 60mph forwards faster than the train speed so no, you wouldn't catch up with it. It may catch up with any other passengers that are on that coach though which could prove a bit dangerous.

As for the cat, well, depends if it's actually in the box or not. Who can really know.

 

[mainline]

I suppose shooting the arrow out the back of the train makes more sense than standing at the back and shooting forward.....

Would you, still standing on a moving train, catch up with the arrow which is now in flight?

No.

What if you put Schrodinger's cat in his box and threw it from the back of a moving train?

Nothing