Your car is traveling behind a jeep. Both are moving at the same speed, so the velocity of the jeep relative to you is zero. A spare tire is strapped to the back of the jeep. Suddenly the strap breaks, and the tire falls off the jeep. Will your car hit the spare tire before the tire hits the road? Assume that air resistance is absent. Hint: Remember that the velocity of the jeep relative to you is zero. Thus, the horizontal component of the tire's velocity relative to you is also zero. Even if the car does not slow down, will it ever be able to catch up with the tire while the tire is in the air? Answers:
A) No. The car will not hit the tire before the tire hits the ground, no matter how close you are to the jeep.
B) If the car is far enough behind the jeep, the car will not hit the tire.
C) If the tire falls from a great enough height, the car will hit the tire.