Calling all physics students
My dear physics-studying friends (and even if you are not physics studying, but still my friend, please read on) I heard this question in lecture on Friday, and I can’t get a logical explaination on the answer…here goes the question…the river flows towards east at 10km per hour, and a boat travels East along the river…Under which situation will the boat arrive faster??
a) With no wind
b) With wind blowing from the west at 10km per hour
When the lecturer asked us to figure the answer out, most of us guessed it was b), but the lecturer was like "If the answer was so obvious, it wouldn’t be a physics question". So to our surprise, the answer was a)…A boy guessed it was both the same, but he was laughed at by the other students(poor boy, he was even sitting behind me)…I just simply can’t get the logic reason why the answer is a) Damn you Newton!! So please, dear friends, if you all know why does the damn boat travels faster without any wind, please tell me…then i can sleep better…hahaha….Thanks..Take care, darlings…
March 3rd, 2007 at 12:32 am
hmm…jz crapping lar… so bored. the current is at 10km per hr which means the boat is aso travelling at 10km per hr..if the wind is blowing to the west which means it be slower cos there be resistent…more work will be used to overcome it therefore move at a slower speed. logic enuf??
March 3rd, 2007 at 7:23 pm
But blowing from West…Means towards East…
March 4th, 2007 at 10:27 pm
hmm…didnt really see that!! wahahahhahah!!!!!!!! im not taking phy anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 5th, 2007 at 9:23 am
then you must ask calvin adi.
January 11th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
If you are taught by Joe Wolfe, just have a look at his webpage, the answer is there, and by all means please understand that this is a situation where “sail boat” is being used!!
Im sure Joe Wolfe, a professor at UNSW majoring his research in acoustic, came out with this question of his own… hmm.. matilah if got this kind of lecturer.. brain juice all kena sucked clean d