An object speed up. Then it slows down. Then it changes direction. Which of these are examples of acceleration?
All three
thanks I just knew it!
Acceleration refers to the rate at which an object's velocity changes. It can be in terms of speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction. So, in the given scenario, both the instances of speeding up and changing direction are examples of acceleration.
To understand why, let's break it down:
1. Speeding up: When an object speeds up, its velocity increases over time, resulting in positive acceleration. This can happen when the object experiences a net force in the same direction as its motion. For example, if a car goes from 0 to 60 mph in 10 seconds, it is accelerating.
2. Slowing down: Slowing down, also known as deceleration, is when an object's velocity decreases over time. This results in negative acceleration or deceleration. If a car applies brakes and goes from 60 mph to 0 mph in 5 seconds, it is decelerating.
3. Changing direction: Changing direction also involves acceleration. Even if the speed remains constant, the object's velocity changes because velocity is a vector quantity that includes both speed and direction. When an object changes direction, there is a change in its velocity vector, resulting in acceleration. For example, when a car makes a U-turn, it changes its direction, and therefore, acceleration is involved.
In summary, both speeding up and changing direction are examples of acceleration in the given scenario.