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The relative velocity of object A to object C is the vector difference of object A’s velocity relative to object B, and object B’s velocity relative to object C.

The key to successfully solving two-dimensional relative velocity problems is drawing the proper triangle to represent all three velocity vectors.

The main drawback to building a rotating space station that would simulate gravity is that a small station would have to rotate quickly in order to achieve 1 g.

The correct formula for finding the relative velocity of an object is:

Given v_a/c = v_a/b + v_b/c:  If v_a/b is the velocity of object A in observer B’s frame of reference, and v_b/c is the motion of observer B’s frame of reference as measured in observer C’s frame of reference, what is v_a/c?

When working in one dimension, what is the difference between adding and subtracting vector quantities, as compared to scalar quantities?

Explain whether the velocity of an object as measured by a stationary observer in a constant-velocity frame of reference is affected by the motion of the frame of reference.

Brittany and Phillip are riding on a jet that is flying due south. Both of them are sitting in their seats. What is Brittany’s velocity relative to Phillip’s?

A boat traveling east covers a distance of 40.0 m in 20.0 s. It encounters a current moving at a speed of 2.50 m/s traveling north. Find the resultant velocity of the boat.

A riverboat travels with a velocity of 4.60 m/s from one shore to another. The velocity of the river is 2.30 m/s. If the width of the river is 72.0 m, how far does the boat travel downstream to reach the other shore?

A bus travels from west to east with a velocity of 11.5 m/s. A marble rolls on the surface of the bus floor with a velocity of 0.200 m/s north. What is the velocity of the marble relative to the road?

Two boats, A and B, travel with a velocity of 4.90 m/s across a river of width 72.0 m. The river flows with a velocity of 2.50 m/s. Boat A travels the shortest distance and boat B travels in the shortest time. If both start at the same time, how much time will they take to cross the river?

Tracy swims across a stream of width 40.0 m in 33.0 s when there is no current. She takes 59.0 s to cover the same distance when there is a current. Find the speed of the river current.

A power walker strolls at 6.5 km/hr relative to a cruise ship from the front of that cruise ship toward the back.  The ship is sailing forward at 80.0 km/hr.  What is the speed of the walker relative to the water?

Josephine and Sunhee are playing shuffleboard on the deck of a cruise ship.  The ship is sailing due north at a speed of 3.0 m/s.  If Sunhee slides her puck along the deck, from the front toward the back of the ship at 7.0 m/s, what is the velocity of the puck relative to the water?

Bad Bart and Mean Mary are outlaws who are robbing a train in the Old West.  The train is traveling east at a speed of 13.0 m/s.  If they make their escape by running west across the top of the train at a speed of 4.0 m/s, what is their velocity relative to the tracks?

Josephine and Sunhee are playing shuffleboard on the deck of a cruise ship.  The ship is sailing due north at a speed of 3.0 m/s.  If Sunhee slides her puck along the deck, from east to west at 9.0 m/s, what is the velocity of the puck relative to the water?

Bad Bart and Mean Mary are outlaws who are robbing a train in the Old West.  The train is traveling east at a speed of 13.0 m/s.  If Bart tosses a bag of coins across the train (from north to south) to Mary, at 5.0 m/s, what is the velocity of the loot relative to the tracks?

A grizzly bear wants to cross a river that is flowing south at 2.5 m/s.  If the bear is able to swim at a sustained speed of 3.0 m/s, at what angle should it swim if it wants to reach a point directly across the river from where it started (crossing west to east)?