Acceleration Homework: Solving a Simple Question with Equations

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Kingsley
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Homework Statement



prelab.jpg

Homework Equations


acceleration

The Attempt at a Solution


I tried the answer:
BAEBB

1 looks like its accelerating up
2 looks like its accelerating down
3 the acceleration looks like it is 0 (v=0)
4 the acceleration looks like its going back up
5 the acceleration looks like its going up

but it's wrong, what am I doing wrong?
 
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DaleSpam said:
You are confusing acceleration and velocity. All of your answers are for velocity.

how do i solve it to know which way the acceleration is going
 
Kingsley said:
how do i solve it to know which way the acceleration is going

Think about which way a force is acting on the cart. For example, note that in A the cart is moving upwards, but is there anything actively pushing it that way?

Next think about when the cart changes directions. You can learn from Newton's laws that a force must be applied to change the direction of an object's motion. What can you deduce about the direction of acceleration?
 
I still can't get it I'm thinking about it like aaeba now but it's still wrong in 1 and 2 I think the acceleration would be a because it's both pointing in the negative direction 3 is 0 because it's not moving 4 would be b because it's about to speed up in that direction and 5 is a because it's slowing down

what am I doing wrong?
 
someone please help this question is due in 30 mins