If an object moves with constant acceleration, its velocity must be constant?
1) True
2) False
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is:
2) False
Explanation:
When an object moves with constant acceleration, its velocity is not constant. In fact, a key characteristic of constant acceleration is that the object’s velocity is changing over time.
Acceleration is defined as the rate of change of velocity with respect to time. If the acceleration is constant, this means that the velocity of the object changes at a constant rate. For example, if an object starts from rest and has a constant acceleration, its velocity will increase by the same amount every second. This results in a velocity that increases linearly over time, not a constant value.
To illustrate this with an equation, we can use the basic kinematic formula for velocity under constant acceleration:
[
v = v_0 + at
]
Where:
- ( v ) is the velocity at time ( t ),
- ( v_0 ) is the initial velocity,
- ( a ) is the constant acceleration,
- ( t ) is the time.
From this equation, it is evident that if ( a \neq 0 ), the velocity ( v ) will change as time progresses. This means the object’s velocity will either increase or decrease, depending on whether the acceleration is positive or negative (i.e., speeding up or slowing down).
For instance, if an object is undergoing constant acceleration due to gravity, its velocity will increase every second (in free fall). Similarly, if an object is decelerating, its velocity will decrease consistently. Therefore, constant acceleration leads to a changing velocity.
In summary, when an object moves with constant acceleration, its velocity is not constant, but instead, it changes at a uniform rate. Hence, the statement that “if an object moves with constant acceleration, its velocity must be constant” is false.