What is the term for negative acceleration?

Master the NCEA Level 3 Physics Mechanics Exam with tailored quiz questions. Study efficiently with multiple choice questions and detailed explanations. Get prepared for your exam success!

Multiple Choice

What is the term for negative acceleration?

Explanation:
The term for negative acceleration is deceleration. This concept occurs when an object slows down, indicating that its velocity is decreasing over time. In physics, when acceleration is considered negative, it implies that the object's speed is reducing. Essentially, deceleration describes a situation where the acceleration vector has a direction opposite to that of the velocity vector, leading to a decrease in speed. In contrast, acceleration generally refers to any change in velocity, which can include both speeding up and slowing down, while constant speed indicates no acceleration at all. Uniform motion relates to movement at a constant speed in a straight line, where neither acceleration nor deceleration occurs. Thus, in the context of this question, deceleration specifically captures the idea of negative acceleration, making it the correct term to use.

The term for negative acceleration is deceleration. This concept occurs when an object slows down, indicating that its velocity is decreasing over time. In physics, when acceleration is considered negative, it implies that the object's speed is reducing. Essentially, deceleration describes a situation where the acceleration vector has a direction opposite to that of the velocity vector, leading to a decrease in speed.

In contrast, acceleration generally refers to any change in velocity, which can include both speeding up and slowing down, while constant speed indicates no acceleration at all. Uniform motion relates to movement at a constant speed in a straight line, where neither acceleration nor deceleration occurs. Thus, in the context of this question, deceleration specifically captures the idea of negative acceleration, making it the correct term to use.

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