Moskau50 t1_je7tmnp wrote
Let's assume that the plane turns hard, like a fighter jet. The ball would seem to move in mid-air as the plane turned. if you were strapped into the plane, you'd turn with it and see the ball move sideways. If you were just standing unsupported, you would move sideways with the ball for an instant and then probably fall over.
its-a-throw-away_ t1_je8oogf wrote
This is untrue. During a coordinated turn, all forces balance such that apparent force of gravity acts straight down as seen from inside an airplane with no windows. The rolling motion that sets the bank angle needed to turn can be felt. But once established in the turn, without windows or instruments, it is impossible to deduce that the airplane is turning in a particular direction.
While sitting in your seat during a turn, if you threw a ball straight up, It would come straight down again. The only discernable change is the apparent strength of gravity.
Here is a great demonstration of the primciple. The pilot performs a barrel roll, which is like a turn, except roll continuously increases in a particular direction until the airplane is upright again. Again, like a turn, once the forces needed to establish the barrel roll are complete, apparent gravity acts vertically through the airplane, pulling the water into the cup.
ubus99 t1_je8tmpx wrote
They specifically said "if it turns hard, like a fighter jet" while the ball is "in mid air"
its-a-throw-away_ t1_je9w7ij wrote
Yes. From their "strapped in seat" the passenger will see the ball fall directly to the cabin floor, just with a lot more force than in level flight. From the passenger's perspective the ball will not move sideways.
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