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optoracko
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Homework Statement
An escalator is 20.0m long. If a person stands on the escalator, it takes 50.0s to ride from bottom to the top.
a) if a person walks up the moving escalator with a speed of 0.500 m/s relative to the escalator how long does it take for the person to get to the top.
Homework Equations
V = d / t
The Attempt at a Solution
I'm not understanding relative motion too well. I begin by calculating the velocity of the escalator which is 0.400 m/s. Since the person is walking up with a speed of 0.500 m/s in relation to the escalator, does that mean that if the escalator was not there, he'd be walking at 0.500 m/s? Why would I not add the two velocities (.4 + .5) and isolate for the time?