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George16
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Homework Statement
Is the acceleration of a car greater when the accelerator is pushed to the floor or when the brake pedal is pushed down hard?
The acceleration of an object depends on its mass and the force acting on it. The following are the most frequently asked questions about what has a greater acceleration:
Not necessarily. The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it. So, if a heavier object is subjected to a greater force, it will have a greater acceleration. However, if two objects with different masses are subjected to the same force, the lighter object will have a greater acceleration.
Yes, acceleration is a vector quantity and is affected by the direction of motion. It can be positive, negative, or zero depending on the direction of the force acting on the object.
The surface does not directly affect acceleration. However, the type of surface an object is on can affect the amount of force acting on the object, which in turn can affect its acceleration. For example, an object sliding on a frictionless surface will have a greater acceleration compared to the same object sliding on a surface with friction.
No, acceleration cannot be greater than the force applied. According to Newton's Second Law of Motion, the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it. So, the acceleration will always be equal to or less than the force applied.
Air resistance can affect acceleration by acting as a force in the opposite direction of motion. This force can decrease the net force acting on the object and therefore decrease its acceleration. However, the effect of air resistance on acceleration also depends on the shape and mass of the object.