Acceleration and constant speed question

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of acceleration in various scenarios involving a car's motion at constant speed. Participants are examining specific statements about acceleration while considering factors such as direction, incline, and changes in velocity.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are sharing their interpretations of the statements regarding acceleration, questioning the validity of each based on the definitions of speed and velocity. Some are exploring the implications of direction changes on acceleration, while others are considering the effects of inclines and motion dynamics.

Discussion Status

There is an active exchange of ideas, with participants offering differing views on the truth of each statement. Some guidance has been provided regarding the distinction between speed and velocity, and the necessity of a changing velocity vector for acceleration to be present. However, there is no clear consensus on the correctness of the statements.

Contextual Notes

Participants are encouraged to think critically about the definitions of acceleration and velocity, and there is a reference to a "sticky" post that may contain additional relevant information. The discussion is framed within the context of a homework help environment, where assumptions and interpretations are being scrutinized.

dbzsongoku
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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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What are your answers/hunches and the reasoning behind them...??

Daniel.

P.S.Read the "sticky" at the top of the thread...
 
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.
 
Make sure you know exactly what acceleration is. 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...

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

Daniel.
 
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?
 
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"!
 

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