Why is changing direction called accelerating?

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    Accelerating Direction
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of acceleration, particularly why changing direction is classified as acceleration. Participants explore the definitions and implications of acceleration in the context of physics, including its relationship to velocity and forces.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express confusion about the conceptual understanding of acceleration, particularly in relation to changing direction.
  • Others clarify that acceleration is defined as a change in velocity, which includes changes in both magnitude and direction.
  • One participant references Newton's 1st law to argue that changing direction implies the presence of a net force, thus indicating acceleration.
  • Another participant provides examples of physical reactions to acceleration, such as being thrown back in a car when accelerating forward or being pushed to the side during a turn, to illustrate the concept of acceleration.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that a change in direction constitutes acceleration, but there is some variation in the clarity of understanding and the explanations provided.

Contextual Notes

Some participants may be missing foundational assumptions about vectors and forces, which could affect their understanding of the topic.

Skhandelwal
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I understand that in form of vectors but conceptually speaking, I don't get it.

Btw, why do accelerating charges emit energy?
 
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By the definition of the acceleration vector,
when, as time evolves,
there is a change in the velocity-vector [either in magnitude, in direction, or in both],
then there is a nonzero acceleration-vector.
 
In english?
 
An acceleration is a change in velocity. So, as robphy says, when there is a change in the velocity (either its direction or its magnitude) then there is a non-zero acceleration.
 
A change in direction of velocity is still a change in velocity, so there has to be an acceleration.
 
You can also think about it in terms of Newton's 1st law - without forces (which means accelerations, by the 2nd law, i.e. F=ma) things move in straight lines (or not at all). Therefore, if you're changing your direction of motion, you must be under the influence of a net force and therefore accelerating.

If you doubt this, consider the reaction to acceleration: you get thrown back in the opposite direction. So, if you accelerate forward in a car, you get thrown back against the seat, but if you take a sudden turn without changing speed, you get thrown to the side. Both cases are responses to acceleration.
 

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