Can decreasing acceleration be negative acceleration ?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of decreasing acceleration and whether it can be classified as negative acceleration. Participants explore the definitions and implications of acceleration in various contexts, including examples and personal experiences with differing interpretations.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants assert that a decelerating body will have a negative acceleration.
  • Others argue that deceleration is constant and not synonymous with decreasing acceleration.
  • A participant proposes that decreasing acceleration can be negative but does not have to be, providing examples of both decreasing negative and decreasing positive acceleration.
  • Another participant questions the first example, suggesting that the acceleration is actually increasing rather than decreasing.
  • One participant clarifies that since acceleration is a vector, it can be negative, indicating that it is opposite to the velocity vector, and that the negative sign relates to direction rather than magnitude.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the relationship between decreasing acceleration and negative acceleration, with no consensus reached on the definitions or examples provided.

Contextual Notes

Some statements depend on interpretations of acceleration and its vector nature, and there are unresolved questions regarding the examples given and their implications for the definitions of deceleration and negative acceleration.

Celluhh
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Can decreasing acceleration be negative acceleration ?
 
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Yes a decelerating body will have a negative acceleration.
 


No deceleration is constant not decreasing acceleration
 


Celluhh said:
Can decreasing acceleration be negative acceleration ?

Decreasing acceleration can be, but does not need to be, negative acceleration.

Example #1: decreasing and negative:

t = 0, a = -1
t = 2, a = -2
t = 3, a = -3

Example #2: decreasing and positive:

t = 0, a = 5
t = 1, a = 4
t = 2, a = 3
 


Yeah exactly I agree With you but my teacher insists that I am wrong and claims that decreasing acc cannot be negative acc. Whew ! At least someone has the same thinking as me .
 


Erm but for your first example acc is increasing right ?
 


@Celluhh
since, acceleration is a vector..it can be negative...

If the acceleration is against the velocity of the particle..then it is said to be a negative acceleration...
the sign "negative" simply indicates that acceleration is opposite to velocity vector...
the "negative" sign has nothing to do with the magnitude of the acceleration ...a negative acceleration just means that it is opposite to the direction of motion..
 

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