Acceleration and constant speed question

In summary: In order for an object to accelerate, its velocity must be changing.THE VELOCITY VECTOR MUST BE CHANGING WITH TIME AS TO HAVE A NONZERO ACCELERATION VECTOR...
  • #1
dbzsongoku
4
0
Can someone tell me which of the these is true or false and possibly explain it to me?

a)The acceleration of a car is zero when it is turning right at a constant speed
b)The acceleration of a car is zero when it is driving up a long straight incline at constant speed
c)The acceleration of a car is zero when it is topping the crest of a hill at constant speed
d)The acceleration of a car is zero when it is bottoming out at the lowest point of a valley at constant speed
e) The acceleration of a car is zero when it is speeding up as it descends a long straight decline.

Any help would be great.

thanks
 
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  • #2
What are your answers/hunches and the reasoning behind them...??

Daniel.

P.S.Read the "sticky" at the top of the thread...
 
  • #3
These are fairly easy questions if you just Think. Consider acceleration as the rate of change in speed, in your case ou can even think of it as a change in speed. Think of forces dependent on inclinations.
 
  • #4
Make sure you know exactly what acceleration is. In order for an object to accelerate, its velocity must be changing.
 
  • #5
THE VELOCITY VECTOR MUST BE CHANGING WITH TIME AS TO HAVE A NONZERO ACCELERATION VECTOR...

Daniel.
 
  • #6
Is this correct?
a) false because direction is changing
b) true
c) true
d) true
e) false because magnitude of the accerlation is changing
 
  • #7
The way i see it,only B is true...

Daniel.
 
  • #8
dbzsongoku said:
Is this correct?
a) false because direction is changing
b) true
c) true
d) true
e) false because magnitude of the accerlation is changing

why does your argment for a not apply to c and d?
 
  • #9
DB said:
These are fairly easy questions if you just Think. Consider acceleration as the rate of change in speed, in your case ou can even think of it as a change in speed. Think of forces dependent on inclinations.

Unfortunately, thinking THAT way will lead you to the wrong answer to at least one of these. Think "velocity" not "speed"!
 

FAQ: Acceleration and constant speed question

What is acceleration?

Acceleration is the rate of change of an object's velocity. It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction. When an object accelerates, its velocity increases or decreases over time.

How is acceleration calculated?

The formula for acceleration is a = ∆v/∆t, where a is acceleration, ∆v is the change in velocity, and ∆t is the change in time. It is typically measured in meters per second squared (m/s²).

What is the difference between acceleration and constant speed?

Acceleration and constant speed are two different concepts. Acceleration refers to the change in an object's velocity over time, while constant speed means that an object is moving at a steady rate without any change in velocity.

Can an object have acceleration and constant speed at the same time?

No, an object cannot have both acceleration and constant speed at the same time. If an object is accelerating, it is not moving at a constant speed, and if it is moving at a constant speed, it is not accelerating.

How do you know if an object is accelerating or moving at a constant speed?

If an object's velocity is changing, whether it is increasing or decreasing, it is accelerating. If an object's velocity remains the same, it is moving at a constant speed. This can be determined by observing the object's motion or by calculating its acceleration using the formula mentioned in question 2.

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