Acceleration of a body( negative velocity and speeding up)

[Icy98]

Homework Statement

What is the acceleration of a body which is moving in opposite direction(assuming negative velocity) and is speeding up?

Homework Equations

acceleration=the rate of which an object changes its velocity

The Attempt at a Solution

In my opinion, an object moves with a negative velocity and is speeding up can be regard as having negative acceleration. This is what I learn from the notes provided on Physics Classroom. Is this correct?

 

[PeroK]

Homework Statement

What is the acceleration of a body which is moving in opposite direction(assuming negative velocity) and is speeding up?

Homework Equations

acceleration=the rate of which an object changes its velocity

The Attempt at a Solution

In my opinion, an object moves with a negative velocity and is speeding up can be regard as having negative acceleration. This is what I learn from the notes provided on Physics Classroom. Is this correct?

Yes. In this scenario velocity and acceleration are both negative.

If the acceleration were positive, the object would slow down, stop instantaneously, then move with increasingly speed in the positive direction.

 

[Icy98]

So if the object is moving in opposite direction but it is slowing down, hence it has positive acceleration?

 

[PeroK]

So if the object is moving in opposite direction but it is slowing down, hence it has positive acceleration?

Best to say "negative" direction. Yes. That would be positive acceleration.

This is important because when you have problems involving gravity (or any force), you can take the positive direction to be upwards. In that case gravity is a negative acceleration. And, sometimes, you take downwards to be positive and gravity is a positive acceleration. So, you need to understand both cases.

 

[Icy98]

Alright. Thank you very much[emoji5]️