Question

What direction will a helium balloon move inside a car that is slowing down—toward the front or back? Explain your answer.

Short answer

The helium balloon will move towards the back side of the car.

Step-by-step solution

Speed

The rate at which the location of an object changes in any direction. The ratio of distance traveled to the time it took to travel that distance is known as speed.

Explanation

The law of inertia says that an object does not change its state of motion until an external force act on it.

When the car is slowing down, the car's air molecules move in the car's forward direction. Many molecules gather on the forward side of the vehicle, and the air on the forward side of the car becomes denser.

Conclusion

The helium molecules try to move to the less dense air from the more significant thick air. As a result, the helium balloon will move towards the car's backside when the car is slowing down.