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Rain-Man Problems — NEET Physics MCQs with Solutions

Free NEET Physics Rain-Man Problems MCQs with step-by-step solutions (25 questions). Part of Relative Motion (1D and 2D). Practise online on Prepizo — no login needed.

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Questions with solutions

Q1 — Rain-Man Problems · easy · theory
The velocity of rain relative to a moving man is given by:
A. $\vec{v}_{rm} = \vec{v}_r + \vec{v}_m$
B. $\vec{v}_{rm} = \vec{v}_r \times \vec{v}_m$
C. $\vec{v}_{rm} = \vec{v}_r - \vec{v}_m$  ✓ Correct
D. $\vec{v}_{rm} = \vec{v}_m - \vec{v}_r$
Solution: Core equation: v⃗_rm = v⃗_rain − v⃗_man. The umbrella must be held along v⃗_rm.
Q2 — Rain-Man Problems · easy · theory
Rain falls vertically. A man walking forward should hold his umbrella:
A. Horizontally
B. Tilted forward (towards the direction of his motion)  ✓ Correct
C. Vertically
D. Tilted backward
Solution: Relative to the man, the rain acquires a backward horizontal component (−v⃗_m), so it appears to come from the front — tilt the umbrella forward.
Q3 — Rain-Man Problems · easy · theory
Rain falls vertically at speed v_r while a man walks at v_m. The angle of the umbrella from the vertical should satisfy:
A. $\sin\theta = \dfrac{v_r}{v_m}$
B. $\tan\theta = \dfrac{v_m}{v_r}$  ✓ Correct
C. $\cos\theta = \dfrac{v_m}{v_r}$
D. $\tan\theta = \dfrac{v_r}{v_m}$
Solution: The apparent rain has horizontal component v_m and vertical component v_r: tanθ = v_m/v_r (θ from the vertical, tilted towards motion). Speed-trick: faster walking → bigger tilt.
Q4 — Rain-Man Problems · easy · theory
If the man starts running FASTER (rain still vertical), the umbrella angle from the vertical:
A. Becomes zero
B. Decreases
C. Increases  ✓ Correct
D. Stays the same
Solution: tanθ = v_m/v_r grows with v_m: the faster he runs, the more he must tilt the umbrella forward.
Q5 — Rain-Man Problems · medium · theory
The magnitude of the rain's velocity relative to the man (vertical rain v_r, man's speed v_m) is:
A. $v_r + v_m$
B. $\sqrt{v_r^2 - v_m^2}$
C. $v_r - v_m$
D. $\sqrt{v_r^2 + v_m^2}$  ✓ Correct
Solution: The two components are perpendicular: |v⃗_rm| = √(v_r² + v_m²).
Q6 — Rain-Man Problems · medium · theory
A man standing still finds rain falling vertically. When he walks, the rain appears to fall at an angle. The actual (ground) velocity of the rain:
A. Decreases
B. Increases
C. Becomes horizontal
D. Is unchanged — only the apparent direction changes  ✓ Correct
Solution: The rain's true velocity is frame-independent; walking changes only the RELATIVE velocity seen by the man.
Q7 — Rain-Man Problems · medium · theory
Rain is falling at some angle with the vertical. A man walks so that the rain appears to fall vertically to him. His velocity must equal:
A. The horizontal component of the rain's velocity  ✓ Correct
B. The full rain velocity
C. The vertical component of the rain's velocity
D. Zero
Solution: For vertical apparent rain, the horizontal component of v⃗_r − v⃗_m must vanish: v_m = v_r,horizontal (same direction).
Q8 — Rain-Man Problems · easy · theory
To a man moving in a car, vertically falling rain strikes the windscreen obliquely. The faster the car moves, the rain appears to come:
A. From directly above always
B. From behind
C. More horizontally (from the front)  ✓ Correct
D. More vertically
Solution: The backward relative component grows with car speed, so the apparent rain direction tilts towards the horizontal front.
Q9 — Rain-Man Problems · medium · theory
A man runs with the same horizontal velocity as slanted rain's horizontal component. To him the rain appears to fall:
A. Upward
B. Horizontally
C. At a larger slant
D. Vertically  ✓ Correct
Solution: His motion cancels the rain's horizontal component, leaving only the vertical part — apparent rain is vertical.
Q10 — Rain-Man Problems · medium · theory
The umbrella should always be held:
A. Along the person's velocity
B. Along the direction of the rain's velocity RELATIVE to the person  ✓ Correct
C. Along the true rain velocity
D. Always vertical
Solution: Protection requires blocking the rain as the person experiences it — i.e. along v⃗_rm, not the ground-frame rain direction.
Q11 — Rain-Man Problems · easy · numerical
Rain falls vertically at 10 m/s while a man walks at 10 m/s. He must hold his umbrella at an angle from the vertical of:
A. 30°
B. 60°
C. 45°  ✓ Correct
D. 90°
Solution: tanθ = v_m/v_r = 10/10 = 1 ⇒ θ = 45° (tilted forward).
Q12 — Rain-Man Problems · easy · numerical
Rain falls vertically at 30 m/s; a car moves at 10 m/s. The rain strikes the windscreen at an angle from the vertical of:
A. 30°
B. 45°
C. tan⁻¹(3) ≈ 71.6°
D. tan⁻¹(1/3) ≈ 18.4°  ✓ Correct
Solution: tanθ = v_car/v_rain = 10/30 = 1/3 ⇒ θ = tan⁻¹(1/3) ≈ 18.4°.
Q13 — Rain-Man Problems · easy · numerical
Rain falls vertically at 4 m/s; a man walks at 3 m/s. The speed of the rain relative to the man is:
A. 5 m/s  ✓ Correct
B. 3.5 m/s
C. 7 m/s
D. 1 m/s
Solution: |v_rm| = √(4² + 3²) = 5 m/s (3-4-5 triangle).
Q14 — Rain-Man Problems · medium · numerical
A man walking at 6 m/s finds vertically-falling rain hitting him at 45° from the vertical. The actual speed of the rain is:
A. 3 m/s
B. 6 m/s  ✓ Correct
C. 12 m/s
D. 8.5 m/s
Solution: tan45° = v_m/v_r ⇒ 1 = 6/v_r ⇒ v_r = 6 m/s.
Q15 — Rain-Man Problems · medium · numerical
To a man walking at 5 m/s the rain appears to fall vertically at 5√3 m/s. The actual speed of the rain is:
A. 5 m/s
B. 5√3 m/s
C. 10 m/s  ✓ Correct
D. 15 m/s
Solution: True rain = (horizontal 5) + (vertical 5√3): |v_r| = √(25 + 75) = √100 = 10 m/s.
Q16 — Rain-Man Problems · medium · numerical
Rain appears to fall vertically to a man walking at 3 km/h. When he walks at 6 km/h (same direction), it appears to make 45° with the vertical. The vertical component of the rain's velocity is:
A. 9 km/h
B. 6 km/h
C. 4.5 km/h
D. 3 km/h  ✓ Correct
Solution: Rain's horizontal component = 3 (vertical at 3 km/h). At 6 km/h: relative horizontal = 6 − 3 = 3; tan45° = 3/v_vert = 1 ⇒ v_vert = 3 km/h.
Q17 — Rain-Man Problems · medium · numerical
Rain falls vertically at 20 m/s. For the rain to appear at 30° from the vertical, a cyclist must ride at (tan30° ≈ 0.577):
A. ≈ 11.5 m/s  ✓ Correct
B. 20 m/s
C. 10 m/s
D. ≈ 34.6 m/s
Solution: v_m = v_r tanθ = 20 × 0.577 ≈ 11.5 m/s.
Q18 — Rain-Man Problems · medium · numerical
Rain falls at 10 m/s making 30° with the vertical (towards a man). If the man runs so the rain appears vertical, his speed must be:
A. 2.5 m/s
B. 5 m/s  ✓ Correct
C. 10 m/s
D. 8.66 m/s
Solution: He must match the horizontal component: v_m = 10 sin30° = 5 m/s.
Q19 — Rain-Man Problems · easy · numerical
Vertically falling rain has speed 12 m/s; a man runs at 5 m/s. The relative speed of the rain with respect to him is:
A. 13 m/s  ✓ Correct
B. 17 m/s
C. 7 m/s
D. 12 m/s
Solution: |v_rm| = √(12² + 5²) = √169 = 13 m/s (5-12-13 triple).
Q20 — Rain-Man Problems · medium · numerical
A man walking at 4 km/h holds his umbrella at tan⁻¹(1/3) from the vertical. The speed of the (vertical) rain is:
A. 3 km/h
B. 7 km/h
C. 12 km/h  ✓ Correct
D. 4/3 km/h
Solution: tanθ = v_m/v_r ⇒ 1/3 = 4/v_r ⇒ v_r = 12 km/h.
Q21 — Rain-Man Problems · medium · numerical
A stationary man sees rain at 30° from the vertical, coming towards him at 10 m/s. The horizontal and vertical components of the rain's velocity are:
A. 5√3 m/s and 5 m/s
B. 10 m/s and 10 m/s
C. 5 m/s and 5√3 m/s  ✓ Correct
D. 3 m/s and 9 m/s
Solution: Horizontal = 10 sin30° = 5 m/s; vertical = 10 cos30° = 5√3 ≈ 8.66 m/s.
Q22 — Rain-Man Problems · medium · numerical
A cyclist rides at 10 m/s while rain falls vertically at 10√3 m/s. The umbrella angle from the vertical is:
A. 60°
B. 30°  ✓ Correct
C. 15°
D. 45°
Solution: tanθ = 10/(10√3) = 1/√3 ⇒ θ = 30°.
Q23 — Rain-Man Problems · medium · numerical
A man walking at 2 m/s sees vertically-falling rain at 30° from the vertical. If he doubles his speed to 4 m/s, the new apparent angle θ from the vertical satisfies:
A. tanθ = 2/√3 (θ ≈ 49°)  ✓ Correct
B. tanθ = √3/2 (θ ≈ 41°)
C. θ = 30° still
D. θ = 60° exactly
Solution: From the first case: tan30° = 2/v_r ⇒ v_r = 2√3 m/s. Doubling his speed: tanθ = 4/(2√3) = 2/√3 ⇒ θ ≈ 49°. Speed-trick: doubling the walking speed doubles tanθ, NOT θ itself.
Q24 — Rain-Man Problems · medium · numerical
Rain falls vertically at 8 m/s; a man runs east at 6 m/s. The direction of the rain relative to the man is:
A. Horizontal from the east
B. tan⁻¹(3/4) ≈ 37° from the vertical, tilted towards the east (front)  ✓ Correct
C. tan⁻¹(4/3) ≈ 53° from the vertical, towards the west
D. Vertical
Solution: tanθ = 6/8 = 3/4 ⇒ θ ≈ 37° from the vertical, appearing to come from the direction he is running towards.
Q25 — Rain-Man Problems · medium · numerical
A man walks at 3 m/s and the rain (relative to him) comes at 5 m/s from 37° ahead of vertical (sin37° = 0.6). The true vertical speed of the rain is:
A. 5 m/s
B. 2 m/s
C. 3 m/s
D. 4 m/s  ✓ Correct
Solution: Vertical component of relative rain = 5 cos37° = 4 m/s; the vertical component is frame-independent, so the true rain falls at 4 m/s. (Check: horizontal relative = 5 sin37° = 3 = his speed ⇒ true rain vertical ✓.)