Question

Give an example to show that rest and motion are relative terms.

Answer 1

1. Imagine you are sitting in a compartment of a moving train.
2. You are in motion in relation to a farmer standing in a field or· trees or the platform because your position is changing with respect to them. However, if you compare position with respect to the things inside the train, i.e., other passengers, walls and roof of the train, fan, etc., it is not changing.
3. Therefore, in relation to these objects, you are at rest.
4. Thus, an object can be in motion in relation to one set of objects while it is at rest in relation to another set of objects. We can say that rest and motion are relative terms.
5. It is the observer and the surroundings that decide whether a given object is considered to be at rest or in motion.