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It is not true. It means that the object MIGHT be decelerating but not "always" (as your friend says). Instead, think of it this way...

We start by clarifying that there is no such thing as "negative acceleration" per se. That is, that acceleration is a vector composed of an absolute value scalar and a direction. So "negative acceleration" actually refers to an acceleration which just happens to be in the negative direction of whatever coordinate system you've chosen to define for the particular problem.

We define a coordinate system (for a two dimensional universe to keep things simple) with positve/negative x and y. If the object starts out already moving in the positive X direction, then to apply an acceleration in the negative direction would mean there is deceleration. If the object is stationary or moving in the negative X direction, then applying an acceleration in the negative X direction would actually be accelerating the object. In other words, the reference from has to stay constant for there to be meaningful discourse on the subject. By the same note, even moving in the positive X direction, if the object is acclerated in the negative Y direction then the object is actually accelerating.

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11y ago
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1mo ago

No, that statement is not entirely true. Negative acceleration means the velocity of the object is decreasing, which could be due to deceleration (slowing down) or changing direction. Positive acceleration means the velocity is increasing.

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Q: A classmate in the physics state that the negative acceleration always mean that a moving object is decelerating is that true?
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What is deceleration in physics?

Deceleration in physics refers to the rate at which an object slows down its speed or velocity. It is the negative acceleration of an object moving in the opposite direction of its velocity vector, causing it to decrease its speed. Deceleration can occur due to various factors such as friction, air resistance, or external forces acting on the object.


What does a stand for in physics?

In physics, "a" typically stands for acceleration, which represents the rate of change of velocity of an object over time. Acceleration can be positive (speeding up), negative (slowing down), or zero (constant speed).


What is a negative acceleration called?

You'll find a lot of people who call it "deceleration". But in real Physics, there's no such thing.There's only positive or negative acceleration, depending on whether the acceleration is inthe same or opposite direction compared to what you decided to call the positive direction.Negative acceleration is sometimes, but not always, associated with something that's slowing down.


Is increasing acceleration the same as positive acceleration?

Yes, increasing acceleration means that the rate of change of velocity is increasing, which implies positive acceleration. Positive acceleration corresponds to speeding up, while negative acceleration (deceleration) corresponds to slowing down.


Why slowing down of an object is considered to be form of acceleration?

When an object slows down, its velocity decreases. Since acceleration is the rate of change of velocity, slowing down involves a negative acceleration. This is because the velocity is changing in the direction opposite to the initial motion.

Related questions

What is deceleration in physics?

Deceleration in physics refers to the rate at which an object slows down its speed or velocity. It is the negative acceleration of an object moving in the opposite direction of its velocity vector, causing it to decrease its speed. Deceleration can occur due to various factors such as friction, air resistance, or external forces acting on the object.


What do you called the negative acceleration?

That is sometimes called deceleration. In physics, however, any change of velocity is simply called "acceleration".


What happens to the acceleration when something slows down?

Deaceleration, I'm in basic physics and i know that. its not that hard. but it is a type of acceleration.


What does a stand for in physics?

In physics, "a" typically stands for acceleration, which represents the rate of change of velocity of an object over time. Acceleration can be positive (speeding up), negative (slowing down), or zero (constant speed).


What is the decrease of speed called in physics?

Any change of velocity, including a decrease of speed, is described and measured as acceleration. Assuming the velocity and acceleration vectors point in the same direction, then in the case of decreasing speed, the magnitude of the acceleration is a negative value. Negative acceleration is often called deceleration, but that is just a special case of acceleration.


Positive acceleration differ from negative acceleration?

Yes. Mathematically, they have opposite signs. So they are opposing vectors. In terms of physics, they represent the effects of forces acting in opposite directions.


What is a negative acceleration called?

You'll find a lot of people who call it "deceleration". But in real Physics, there's no such thing.There's only positive or negative acceleration, depending on whether the acceleration is inthe same or opposite direction compared to what you decided to call the positive direction.Negative acceleration is sometimes, but not always, associated with something that's slowing down.


Is increasing acceleration the same as positive acceleration?

Yes, increasing acceleration means that the rate of change of velocity is increasing, which implies positive acceleration. Positive acceleration corresponds to speeding up, while negative acceleration (deceleration) corresponds to slowing down.


Why slowing down of an object is considered to be form of acceleration?

When an object slows down, its velocity decreases. Since acceleration is the rate of change of velocity, slowing down involves a negative acceleration. This is because the velocity is changing in the direction opposite to the initial motion.


What is the physics definition for acceleration?

Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity of an object over time. It is a vector quantity that indicates both the magnitude and direction of how an object's velocity is changing. Acceleration can be positive (speeding up), negative (slowing down), or zero (constant velocity).


Will acceleration only speed up an object?

No, acceleration can speed up an object, slow it down, or change its direction. Acceleration is a vector quantity that includes both the rate of change of speed and the direction in which the object is moving.


What is abbreviation for accelerators?

in physics acceleration is abbriviated as "a".