Why do you fall in the forward direction when a moving bus brakes to a stop and fall backwards when it accelerates from rest?
ScienceClass 9CBSEAnswered 27 Mar 2026
Answer
Solution
Initially, when the bus accelerates in a forward direction from a state of rest, the passengers experience a force exerted on them in the backward direction due to their inertia opposing the forward motion.
Once the bus starts moving, the passengers are in a state of motion in the forward direction. When the brakes are applied, the bus moves towards a position of rest. Now, a force in the forward direction is applied on the passengers because their inertia resists the change in the motion of the bus. This causes the passengers to fall forwards when the brakes are applied.
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