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When we are in train, objects just close to trains like the adjacent track, electric poles and such close things appear to move very fast against the direction of the moving train.Further the mountains and trees distant away from the train appear to move against the direction of the moving train, but they do so slowly, very slowly.And the objects even further appear to move even slower.Why is it so?

Shouldn't everything pass on with same speed in opposite direction. Further this should also work vice-versa.For a person standing very close to a moving train, train should appear fast to him.And person far away should see it moving slowly.However, I haven't experienced such case so far.Why is it so and also does the vice-versa of this also occur?

Qmechanic
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LalaByte
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1 Answers1

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Relative velocity does not change with distance, only with the two velocities in question. What you're observing is a result of the way you see things. Everything you see takes up a certain portion of your field of view. Things that are farther away appear smaller than objects up close because they take up a smaller angle or portion of your field of view.

A car 1km away that moves 10m in 5s could be percieved to moving slower than a car 10m away moving 10m in 5s, even though the velocities are the same. Instead the change in angle in your FOV of the farther car is smaller than the change in angle of the closer car, which makes it appear to move faster.

kupo408
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