0
Yes, velocity can be negative. Velocity is a vector, which means that it specifies a speed and a direction. However, whether it's negative depends on how the coordinate system is defined. If the right hand side is defined as being positive, then an object traveling to the right has a velocityv.If that object begins traveling to the left, it has a velocity of -v.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Wiki User
∙ 6y agoVelocity is a vector - a magnitude and a direction. The magnitude is usually taken as a non-negative number. The "vector itself" is neither positive nor negative - it is a multidimensional construct, for which such terms don't make much sense.
That's only hard to handle as long as you think that 'velocity' and 'speed' are the
same thing. They're not. 'Velocity' is speed and its direction.
-- "30 miles per hour" is a speed
-- "30 miles per hour north" is a velocity
-- "30 miles per hour east" and "30 miles per hour west" are the same speed
but different velocities.
Positive and negative velocities are simply velocities in opposite directions.
Before you start working on the situation, you definewhich direction you're
going to call positive. Anything you find moving the other way has negative
velocity according to your definition.
In problems that involve tossing rocks and balls and spears and rockets straight up,
you always have things that move up for a while and eventually start moving down.
In order to keep everything straight, when you start working with these things you
often call upward velocity 'positive'. Well then, when the thing reaches the top and
starts falling down, its velocity becomes 'negative', and everything works out nice.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoVelocity can only be positive. Even when you are going backwards, your speed is still above zero.
There is no way to get to a number below zero when you are talking about velocity.
======================================
Sorry. Speed (the magnitude of velocity) can't be negative, but velocity can.
If it couldn't, then two velocities could never add up to zero, which is always possible
with vectors.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoBecause before you start working on it, you define which direction you're going
to call positive. Then, whenever you find anything moving in that direction,
you call the velocity positive, and if you find something moving in the opposite
direction, you call that negative velocity.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoyes.
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
Why can velocity be negative but nonzero speed is always positive?
speed is a scalar quantity with magnitude only but no direction; velocity is a vector with both magnitude (speed) AND direction, which could be positive or negative
Is retardation positive or negative acceleration?
Retardation or deceleration is negative acceleration. It is opposite to the direction of velocity.
Can momentum have a negative velocity?
No, momentum can not have a negative velocity. Velocity is the rate of motion of a body from one position to another position in a particular direction. Bodies traveling in opposite directions may appear to have a negative velocity in relationship to each other but any amount of velocity is positive.
How do you achieve negative velocity?
If you have a Displacement - time graph, the velocity at a certain point equals displacement over time, displacement is a vector quantity thus is affected by direction so when it has a negative value the velocity has a negative value. and if your still thinking about it, check out this thought: "negative velocity is positive velocity in the other direction"
Why two objects move in opposite direction one will have positive momentum and other negative momentum?
Quite simply, this means that momentum is a vector quantity; the direction is relevant. This is useful, for example, for calculations involving the conservation of momentum. Actually momentum is the product of velocity and mass, and velocity is also a vector quantity - thus, in this example, one object will have a positive velocity (more precisely: a positive component of the velocity along the x-axis, for example), the other, negative. Multiplying this velocity by the mass will also give a quantity which may be positive or negative (or rather, have positive or negative components).
Would you use a positive or negative number to represent the velocity of a descending hot-air balloon?
I don't think velocity can be a negative number... Use positive.
Can a car have negative velocity and positive acceleration at the same time if traveling on a highway?
Yes.If the car is backing up, but slowing down, then its velocity is in the negative direction, and its acceleration is in the positive direction.
Why can velocity be negative but nonzero speed is always positive?
speed is a scalar quantity with magnitude only but no direction; velocity is a vector with both magnitude (speed) AND direction, which could be positive or negative
What is called negative accelarration?
Deceleration. Negative acceleration = Velocity is decreasing by time. Positive acceleration = Velocity is increasing by time. Zero acceleration = Velocity is the same by time.
Can a speed of a body be negative?
The 'speed' of a body cannot be negative. But if you are stating the 'velocity' then it can be negative. Negative velocity means it is going opposite to the direction that you decided to call the positive direction.
How do you find the final velocity if the acceleration is negative?
It depends on what information you have. Also, velocity can be negative - it just means that the object is travelling in the direction opposite to the positive direction for the velocity vector.
Is retardation positive or negative acceleration?
Retardation or deceleration is negative acceleration. It is opposite to the direction of velocity.
Can momentum have a negative velocity?
No, momentum can not have a negative velocity. Velocity is the rate of motion of a body from one position to another position in a particular direction. Bodies traveling in opposite directions may appear to have a negative velocity in relationship to each other but any amount of velocity is positive.
How do you achieve negative velocity?
If you have a Displacement - time graph, the velocity at a certain point equals displacement over time, displacement is a vector quantity thus is affected by direction so when it has a negative value the velocity has a negative value. and if your still thinking about it, check out this thought: "negative velocity is positive velocity in the other direction"
Why two objects move in opposite direction one will have positive momentum and other negative momentum?
Quite simply, this means that momentum is a vector quantity; the direction is relevant. This is useful, for example, for calculations involving the conservation of momentum. Actually momentum is the product of velocity and mass, and velocity is also a vector quantity - thus, in this example, one object will have a positive velocity (more precisely: a positive component of the velocity along the x-axis, for example), the other, negative. Multiplying this velocity by the mass will also give a quantity which may be positive or negative (or rather, have positive or negative components).
Differentiate positive acceleration and negative acceleration?
A positive acceleration is a change in velocity such that the latter velocity is greater than the former velocity and is therefore going fasterwhile a negative acceleration or deceleration is a change in velocity such that the latter velocity is lesser than the former velocity and is therefore going slower.Now let us look at the equation of a uniform acceleration (the change in velocity is uniform):a = (vf-vi)/sIf the final velocity is greater, you will have a positive acceleration. If the initial velocity is greater, you will have a deceleration.
Can velocity speed up an object?
Well velocity is basically the same thing as speed but with direction (velocity can be negative or positive and speed is always positive). l velocity l = speed So a change in velocity means a change in speed.
