Physics question.

[EFLImpudence]

Perhaps easier to understand would be:

A racing car on a flat bed trailer of a lorry parked on the level with hand brake off.
Car accelerates as fast as as it can.
Would the lorry move backwards a bit?
Car then brakes or hits the front of the trailer.
Would the lorry move forwards a bit?

So if the lorry was moving, it must have the same effect.

 

[Safety First]

the swimming pools are a perfect exemplar

 

[tony1851]

Thanks to all for interesting points.

One thing I do remember from a physics teacher when discussing homework over the holidays was the law that 'work expands to fill the time available for its completetion'.

And from an English class discussing homework:

Q. "Sir, how long should the essay be?"
A. "Smithers..... an essay should be like a girls' skirt - long enough to cover the subject but short enough to be interesting."

 

[Bodd]

What if the bus is doing 30 and you walk from front yo back at 3 mph does it speed the bus up.

 

[EFLImpudence]

While you are overcoming your inertia, yes.

What if the racing car was facing the rear and accelerated? Would it push the trailer forwards, thus helping the tractor?

 

[charliegolf]

No (well not if the bus is in uniform motion). The bus is an independent frame of reference, and without an acceleration can be assumed to be stationary.