If you were on a plane going the speed of sound and walked from the back of the plane to the front, would u be walking faster than the speed of sound?

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• From the frame of reference of someone standing on the ground, you would be walking faster than the speed of sound.

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  by riseandconverge on April 2nd, 2007

• True, but that would be a false perception. Just because, for example, you are standing in front of 10 mirrors doesn't mean that there are *actually* ten of you. It is just a perception, and that perception is false.

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  by Metaphiz on April 3rd, 2007

• To say that what is "actually" happening is that the person is moving relative to the plane and not the ground seems to be claiming that there is some sort of absolute motion going on here. According to the theory of relativity, all motion is relative to some frame of reference. A person observing from the ground or the plane would have an equal claim to say what is "actually" going on.

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  by riseandconverge on April 3rd, 2007

• My point is that the person walking in the plane is not walking any faster than the plane is flying. Regardless of your frame of reference, the person is restricted by the speed in which a person can naturally walk.

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  by Metaphiz on April 3rd, 2007

• Sounds good.

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  by riseandconverge on April 3rd, 2007

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• G-force is related to acceleration/deceleration. If the plane is travelling at a constant speed and elevation you don't feel any g-force at all. Passenger planes fly at over 900km/h (speed of sound is not that much higher) and folk wander up and down the aisles all the time!

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  by Friartuck on April 2nd, 2007