If an object is accelerated, can its velocity be constant? Explain.?

Answer 1

No, its speed can be constant but its velocity MUST CHANGE because of the fact that acceleration is defined as the rate of change of velocity, i.e. at least its direction must change (which is sufficient for saying that velocity changes).

Answer 2

The first respondant is wrong.. Speed is a scalar. It is not the same as velocity ( vector). Accelerating means there is a constant force acting on the body, changing its velocity... In circular motion the body's speed is constant but its velocity is not because of change of direction. It accelerates towards the center.

AH.. For the respondant below, If you are sitting in a room and you are being accelerated by the Earth your velocity is not zero... Yes relative to the earth's surface you are not moving because the point of reference is being accelerated with you at the same rate.. But relative to the center the direction of movement is changing so velocity is changing.. You are moving at the direction you are being accelerated. . .

Here is a relativistic example.. You and a friend are driven by invinsible automated cars next to each other along a highway and you are suddenly being accelerated, both at a constant rate... You and you friend see each other as not moving but "think" that the surroundings are being accelerated towards you! So relative to you the surroundings are moving while you are at rest. So relative to you their velocity changes. Relative to the surroungings you are being accelerated and therefore your velocity is changing.

Answer 3

the example of circular motion is ok, as long as you mix up things a bit. For example a planet orbiting a star in a circle may have a speed of a constant magnitude, but the speed itself (if the orbit is in a plane then it will be a vector made of two numbers) will vary.

i can think of another example: you, standing or sitting in a room. You are being accelerated by the Earth (acceleration is g), only you are not free to move so your velocity is constant, at zero (relative to the surface of the Earth).

or another, similar example: if you're in free wheel on your bike, horizontal surface, and the bike is frictionless so no force / acceleration in the horizontal direction, you're still being accelerated vertically (by the Earth) but you're no free to move vertically. So your vertical velocity is contant at zero (as in the case above), and your horizontal velocity is constant at whatever speed you were going initially.

Answer 4

No. The term "being accelerated" implies a changing velocity.

Answer 5

No. If an object is accelerated, it increases speed. Therefore it cant be constant. It's a trick question.


Gimme 10 points!

Answer 6

convinced. There should be no information superhighway stress (because the article isn't accelerating), yet there would nicely be 2 forces or more beneficial that cancel one yet another out. you'll nicely be pushing an merchandise with a particular stress, which merely equals the stress of friction on it. Or gravity vs conventional stress.

Answer 7

direction changes therefore velocity is not constant. therefore the is a certain acceleration. only in direction

Answer 8

if it is accelerated and continuing to accelerate that sounds a lot like circular motion...

An object moving in a circle can be changing direction (ie accelerating) but not changing speed (ie velocity constant)

Answer 9

no because definition of acceleration is rate of change of velocity(per unit time)
acc=(v2-v1)/t
when v2 &v1 are same acc=0 i.e.,object is not accelerated

Answer 10

I need 2 point to make it to level 2 so I'll throw this in. So far, I like s777s347's answer best. I like her photo best too.