Acceleration of a body( negative velocity and speeding up)

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the acceleration of a body moving in the opposite direction, characterized by negative velocity, and whether it is speeding up or slowing down. The subject area pertains to kinematics and the interpretation of acceleration in relation to velocity.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the relationship between negative velocity and acceleration, questioning whether speeding up corresponds to negative acceleration. Some participants suggest that if an object is slowing down while moving in the opposite direction, it would have positive acceleration.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants providing insights into the nature of acceleration in different scenarios. There is a recognition of the importance of defining directions in relation to acceleration and velocity, but no explicit consensus has been reached.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the interpretation of acceleration can vary based on the chosen positive direction, particularly in contexts involving gravity or other forces.

Icy98
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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?
 
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Icy98 said:

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.
 
So if the object is moving in opposite direction but it is slowing down, hence it has positive acceleration?
 
Icy98 said:
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.
 
Alright. Thank you very much[emoji5]️
 

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