Question 2: Can the velocity of a body reverse direction when acceleration is constant? If you think so give an example.
Answer
Yes, this is possible for a body to change (reverse) its direction when its acceleration is constant.
Example of changing direction when the acceleration of the body is constant
Throw a ball vertically upward with a certain velocity vi. The motion is an accelerated one. The gravitational force acting on the body attracts it toward the center of the earth. We know that this acceleration is g = -9.8 ms-2.
Apply the equation of motion,
Here a = g, and the body is going vertically up. Therefore,
Initially, the value of vi is greater than the term (-gt) and the body moves up. However, with the passage of time, when ’t’ increases the term ‘gt’ also increases. At a certain time vi and ‘gt’ will be equal and vf = 0. This would be the highest point of the motion.
Earth still attracts the body with the same force and acceleration. After this moment, the body changes direction (reverses) and now moves downward with the same acceleration.
Hence, it is possible for a body to reverse its direction when the acceleration is constant.
Consider a spring-mass system (mass attached with a spring at one end). Let the spring is fixed at one end and the surface at which the system is placed is ideally frictionless. Now you pull the mass to some distance ‘x’ and then release. The mass starts to and fro motion on the frictionless surface. How can you say this is another case of a body reversing direction at constant acceleration?
MashaAllah
Very very good answers . It helped me a lot .
Thank you.
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