Will an object accelerate only while a force is acting on it?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Karan Punjabi
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Force
AI Thread Summary
An object accelerates only while a net force is applied to it. For instance, when a baseball is thrown, it accelerates only during the time it is in contact with the thrower's hand. Once released, the ball moves at a constant speed unless acted upon by other forces like gravity or air resistance. The confusion often arises from the perception of continued motion after the force is removed. Ultimately, acceleration ceases once the force is no longer acting on the object.
Karan Punjabi
Messages
127
Reaction score
3
Guys I'm a student studying in FYJC sci. I like to get things in deep so i want to just ask a question... I don't know this question can be silly or not but i want to know that If on an object I acted a certain force for a time then the object will accelerate for that time i mean at that instant only for which force is acting or after it... I think this can be silly but please help me
 
Physics news on Phys.org
An object will accelerate only while a nonzero net force is being applied to it. So, for example, imagine that you are throwing a baseball. While the ball is in contact with your hand, there are two forces on the ball: the one you are exerting in order to speed the ball up and also the force of gravity downward (the ball has a weight). Once the ball leaves your hand, you are not exerting a force on it anymore. Gravity will continue to act on the ball and air resistance will act as the ball flies through the air.

Short answer: An object only accelerates while a force is being applied.
 
I understand this but we interpret like the ball is accelerating after the throw but actually it accelerates till we throw it right?
 
Karan Punjabi said:
I understand this but we interpret like the ball is accelerating after the throw but actually it accelerates till we throw it right?

Neither. It accelerates during the throw. The hand pushes the ball during the throw. Surely you're asking about something more subtle than this and we're missing it?
 
Let's ignore gravity and air resistance. We'll suppose you are throwing the ball in outer space. The ball will accelerate only while it is in contact with your hand. As soon as it leaves your hand, it will fly off in a straight line at a constant speed.
 
Yeah that's what i was confused about... It till will accelerate till the ball is in my hand. Thank you both to solve my problems
 

Thread 'Need help understanding particle physics and quantum physics'

So I know that electrons are fundamental, there's no 'material' that makes them up, it's like talking about a colour itself rather than a car or a flower. Now protons and neutrons and quarks and whatever other stuff is there fundamentally, I want someone to kind of teach me these, I have a lot of questions that books might not give the answer in the way I understand. Thanks
View full post »

Similar threads

B Is Time a Fundamental Force in Physics?
Replies
15
Views
4K
B Understanding Newton's Third Law and the Net Force on Objects
Replies
10
Views
293
What is the relationship between mass, velocity, and force in a collision?
Replies
14
Views
2K
Two Forces Acting Simultaneously
Replies
6
Views
757
B Tablecloth Trick: Explaining Newton's Laws
Replies
10
Views
6K
B What would happen if there were no inertia?
Replies
23
Views
2K
Determine the force with which the magnetic field of a coil acts on an infinitesimal cube of iron
Replies
6
Views
956
Friction and an object stopping
Replies
12
Views
3K
B Why Is an Object's Weight Equal to the Force of Gravity It Experiences?
2
Replies
51
Views
4K
I FTL Travel: The Matryoshka Paradox
Replies
6
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top