I often wonder this when I am driving...
2007-03-24 21:23:38 · 9 answers · asked by adamsts54 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Comparing acceleration and rate is like comparing apples and oranges. Rate is distance/time and acceleration is distance/time^2, so they are expressed in two different units of measure. Assuming you ignore the units of measure, I would have to say yes, you can accelerate faster than the speed you're traveling. When you are at 0mph in your car, you must be accelerating at >0mph (mph^2 actually) to actually move.
2007-03-24 21:31:37 · answer #1 · answered by LemonButt 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Speed and acceleration are completely diffrent things, the unit of speed is m/s or km/h etc.., while that of acceleration is m/s square(m/s^2), since the 2 units are not equal they cannot be compaired, moreover your acceleration does not depend on your current speed, since acceleration=(change in velocity)/(in that time interval) note that this is "change" in velocity, not velocity. When you drive Your engine does not have enough power to gain more speed as friction and air resistance provide the equivalent force given by your engine to accelerate to higher speed, so at high speeds in a vehicle your acceleration decreases due to friction factors.
2007-03-25 05:58:00 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Acceleration and speed are two different things, so you can't compare them in this way. It's like asking if you can drive as fast as the length of your car, or trying to compare a mile to an acre. It is possible for the magnitude of your acceleration in m/s^2 to be greater than the magnitude of your velocity in m/s, though. In particular, when you first start moving, your acceleration must be finite in order for the car to start moving, but your velocity is initially zero. So you have zero velocity and a finite acceleration, making acceleration greater than velocity in that sense.
2007-03-25 04:26:29 · answer #3 · answered by DavidK93 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Acceleration is never dependent on the instantaneous speed, but only on the way it changes. You can accelerate really, really fast, say 100m/s^2 when you start from rest, when your v=0.
2007-03-25 05:31:02 · answer #4 · answered by pecier 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
apples and oranges, somewhat, because acceleration is a change in speed, opposed to a constant rate. Very interesting question though.
2007-03-25 04:30:44 · answer #5 · answered by terenceloughran 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sure. the acceleration of gravity is 9.8 meters/sec/sec, so if you were to jump off a cliff, your acceleration would be greater until you reached a speed of 9.8 meters a second, one second later
2007-03-25 04:26:55 · answer #6 · answered by yup5 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
these 2 things are not comparable.
accelaration is the rate of change in velocity, that is not the same as velocity.
but the accelaration as number only ( without looking at the dimensions ) can be more than the velocity.
2007-03-25 04:28:49 · answer #7 · answered by gjmb1960 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you can. Assume that your speed is 20km/h. YOu are accelerating at 30km/h^2That means the next speed you would be taking at the next second is 50km/j.
SO, the answer is yes. I hope this helps. :)
2007-03-25 04:28:29 · answer #8 · answered by Juni Mccoy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes, only if initial speed is taken as 0m/s.
2007-03-25 05:48:16 · answer #9 · answered by Devwrat-brahmin,proudy&devotee 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋