does an object in space continue to accelerate indefinitely?

Question

say if a planet exploded, the parts of that planet(the object), on explosion will eccelerate from static(not counting orbit) to, whatever speed, after the explosion no longer effects the object, considering there is no resistance, and the object has mass and weight, will that object continue to eccelerate, or not why not?

Answer 1

An object in space, far enough away from objects to be affected by objects, will continue to travel at the same speed. It will not accelerate and it will not decelrate unless acted on by something else, like gravity or an engine.

Answer 2

F = ma; so that a = F/m, where a = acceleration of a mass (m) acted on by a force (F).

Now you tell me. What must there be for acceleration to continue?

Without an indefinite force (F), there can be no indefinite acceleration (a) on any object with inertial mass (m). What indefinite force might there be in space? What about F = GmM/r^2, the force of gravity between masses M and m, r distance apart?

So given your body of mass m doesn't run into anything or vice versa, it will indefinitely be acted on by the force of gravity between it and all that other mass (M) in space. The strength of the force of gravity will wax and wane as your body approaches and recedes from the other masses, but gravitation force at some level will be indefinite. Thus acceleration in the vacuum of space will also be indefinite, but not constant.

By contrast, acceleration in a gas (like air) may not be indefinite because drag forces increasing proportionately as the square of the velocity of the body would eventually be enough to counter the force of gravity. Thus, there would be a terminal velocity at which a body in an atmosphere would stop accelerating.

Answer 3

All answers to date betray one-dimensional thinking. An object in orbit will indeed accelerate toward the object its in orbit around indefinitely due to the continuous gravitational force on it due to the latter. For a circular orbit, the force is orthogonal to its direction of motion (aka "centripetal"), does not increase its speed, and therefore requires no work.

Answer 4

In order for acceleration to occur there must be a force acting on it. It will continue at a constant speed unless there is some type of friction (air resistance) to slow it down.

Answer 5

Try looking up E=mc2...Once an object is in outer space, it's speed will stay the same unless there's another force to speed it up, like a engine.

Answer 6

You don't get something from nothing. When an object reaches explosion speed, it will not go any faster unless you use a bigger bomb.

Answer 7

no, an object in space that is traveling 12,000 miles an hour will actually keep going 12,000 miles an hour until it hits something. this it because there is no friction.

Answer 8

Not unless it is indefinitely acted on by a force.

Which seems unlikely.