How can a body have a velocity east and acceleration west?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the concepts of velocity and acceleration, specifically exploring how an object can have a velocity in one direction while experiencing acceleration in the opposite direction. Participants are seeking clarification on the distinctions between these two concepts.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Exploratory

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster seeks real-world examples and a clearer understanding of the differences between velocity and acceleration. Some participants provide scenarios, such as running east while slowing down, to illustrate the concepts. Others discuss the implications of acceleration being in different directions relative to velocity.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the concepts, offering examples and definitions. There is a focus on understanding how acceleration affects velocity, with some guidance provided on the relationship between the two. Multiple interpretations of acceleration's effects are being explored.

Contextual Notes

Participants are navigating the complexities of motion dynamics, with an emphasis on the definitions and implications of acceleration and velocity. There may be assumptions about prior knowledge of physics concepts that are not explicitly stated.

IntegrateMe
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Can anyone explain a real scenario in which this would be possible?

Also, I've read about velocity and acceleration, but their differences still seem to confuse me. How can I better distinguish between the two?
 
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You are running east and begin to slow down. Your velocity is still to the east because that is the direction you are going. You are accelerating to the west because your eastward velocity is decreasing.
 
... in other words, in order for an object to change speed, there must be acceleration. If the acceleration was in the same direction as you are running, you would speed up. If the acceleration was at some angle not directly in line with your path of travel, you would veer off course. Lastly, if the acceleration is against you, you will slow down. This is known as negative acceleration (also known as deceleration).
 
The definition of acceleration is the change of speed per time unit. The common equation for linear acceleration is

a = v - v0 / t

where
a - acceleration
v - final speed
v0 - initial speed
t - time

Hope this helps a bit.
 

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