When a passenger is standing in a bus and the bus suddenly starts moving forward, the passenger tends to fall

Question

When a passenger is standing in a bus and the bus suddenly starts moving forward, the passenger tends to fall backwards. This is an example of:

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The correct answer is Option A: Newton's First Law of Motion. This phenomenon occurs because of the Law of Inertia, which states that an object at rest tends to remain at rest unless acted upon by an external force. When the bus starts suddenly, the lower part of the passenger's body in contact with the bus moves forward, but the upper part remains in its state of rest due to inertia.

Step-by-Step Solution & Concepts:
This phenomenon occurs because of the Law of Inertia, which states that an object at rest tends to remain at rest unless acted upon by an external force. When the bus starts suddenly, the lower part of the passenger's body in contact with the bus moves forward, but the upper part remains in its state of rest due to inertia.

Working Principle: The body resists the change in its state of motion. While the bus accelerates, the force is applied only to the passenger's feet, creating a relative motion. Because the upper body has inertia of rest, it attempts to stay at its original position in space, leading to a backward tilt relative to the moving bus.

Key Formulas: $\vec{F}_{ext} = 0 \implies \frac{d\vec{v}}{dt} = 0$ — Newton's First Law (if net force is zero, acceleration is zero); $	ext{Inertia} \propto 	ext{mass} (m)$ — The tendency to resist change is directly proportional to the mass of the object

Key Points: Inertia is the inherent property of a body to resist changes in its state of motion or rest.; Newton's First Law is also known as the Law of Inertia.; Mass is the measure of inertia; greater mass implies greater inertia.; No external force is required to maintain a state of uniform motion, only to change it.

Applications: Removing dust from a carpet by beating it with a stick.; A person leaning sideways when a car takes a sharp turn.

Additional Info: Option B (Second Law) deals with the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration ($F = ma$).. Option C (Third Law) deals with action and reaction pairs ($F_{AB} = -F_{BA}$).. Option D (Conservation of Momentum) applies to isolated systems where the net external force is zero ($p_{initial} = p_{final}$).

Answer: A is correct — The passenger's upper body experiences inertia of rest, causing it to resist the sudden forward motion of the bus.

Exam Tip: Always remember that inertia is purely dependent on mass; the heavier the passenger, the more pronounced the backward jerk will be.

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Option B: Newton's Second Law of Motion

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Option C: Newton's Third Law of Motion

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Option D: Law of Conservation of Momentum

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