3 | Acceleration 1
3 | ACCELERATION
CHAPTER REVIEW
Concept Item
3.1 Acceleration
(1) How can you use the definition of acceleration to explain the units in which acceleration
is measured?
A Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity. Therefore, its unit is meter per second
squared (m/s2).
B Acceleration is the rate of change of displacement. Therefore, its unit is meter per
second (m/s).
C Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity. Therefore, its unit is meter squared per
second (m2/s).
D Acceleration is the rate of change of displacement. Therefore, its unit is meter squared
per second (m2/s).
Solution The correct answer is (A). Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity. The units of
velocity are meter per second (m/s). The rate of change means that acceleration is
the change in velocity per second. This puts another s in the denominator, resulting
in units of meter per second squared (m/s2).
(3) Which statement explains why a racecar going around a curve is accelerating, even if the
speed is constant?
A The car is accelerating because the magnitude as well as the direction of velocity is
changing.
B The car is accelerating because the magnitude of velocity is changing.
C The car is accelerating because the direction of velocity is changing.
D The car is accelerating because neither the magnitude nor the direction of velocity is
changing.
Solution The correct answer is (C). The car’s direction is changing to follow the curve.
Therefore, it is accelerating.
3.2 Representing Acceleration with Equations and Graphs
(5) Create your own kinematics problem. Then, create a flow chart showing the steps someone
would need to take to solve the problem.
Solution Answers will vary. Sample answer: The answer will depend on the problem created,
but typical steps would include (1) assigning variables, (2) converting units so they
are equivalent (if necessary), (3) selecting the appropriate kinematic equation, and
(4) solving for the answer.
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Critical Thinking Items
3.1 Acceleration
(7) Imagine that a car is traveling from your left to your right at a constant velocity. Which two
actions could the driver take that may be represented as (a) a velocity vector and an
acceleration vector both pointing to the right and then (b) changing so the velocity vector
points to the right and the acceleration vector points to the left?
A (a) Push down on the accelerator and then (b) push down again on the accelerator a
second time.
B (a) Push down on the accelerator and then (b) push down on the brakes.
C (a) Push down on the brakes and then (b) push down on the brakes a second time.
D (a) Push down on the brakes and then (b) push down on the accelerator.
Solution The correct answer is (A). The car is traveling to the right, so the velocity vector
points to the right the entire time. When the acceleration vector also points to the
right, the car is speeding up, so the driver is pushing down on the accelerator. When
the acceleration vector is pointing to the left, the car is slowing down, so the driver is
pushing down on the brakes.
3.2 Representing Acceleration with Equations and Graphs
(9) A student is asked to solve the following problem:
An object falls from a height for 2.0 s, at which point it is still 60 m above the ground. What
will be the velocity of the object when it hits the ground?
Which option provides the correct order of kinematic equations that can be used to solve
the problem?
A First use , then use
B First use , then use
C First use , then use
D First use , then use
Solution The correct answer is (B). Using the first equation will let you find the final velocity,
since we know the time, initial velocity, and acceleration. We then use the second
equation, substituting the final velocity from the first part as the initial velocity, to
find the final velocity at the ground.
(11) Which graph in the previous problem has a positive slope?
A Displacement versus time only
B Acceleration versus time and velocity versus time
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C Velocity versus time and displacement versus time
D Acceleration versus time and displacement versus time
Solution The correct answer is (C). An upward slope on a graph indicates a positive slope.
Problems
3.1 Acceleration
(13) A girl rolls a basketball across a basketball court. The ball slowly decelerates at a rate of
. If the initial velocity was 2.0 m/s and the ball rolled to a stop at 5.0 s after
12:00 p.m., at what time did she start the ball rolling?
A 0.1 s before noon
B 0.1 s after noon
C 5 s before noon
D 5 s after noon
Solution The correct answer is (C).
Since the time it took to stop was 10 s and it stopped at 5 s after noon, it started rolling at 5 s
before noon.
3.2 Representing Acceleration with Equations and Graphs
(15) A swimmer bounces straight up from a diving board and falls feet first into a pool. She
starts with a velocity of 4.00 m/s and her takeoff point is 8 m above the pool. How long are her
feet in the air?
A 0.408 s
B 0.816 s
C 1.34 s
D 1.75 s
E 1.28 s
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Solution The correct answer is (D). Note—We only want the positive time solution.
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3 | Acceleration 5
TEST PREP
Multiple Choice
3.1 Acceleration
(17) Which variable represents displacement?
A a
B d
C t
D v
Solution The correct answer is (C). Displacement of any object is indicated by the variable d.
3.2 Representing Acceleration with Equations and Graphs
(19) For the motion of a falling object, which graphs are straight lines?
A Acceleration versus time only
A Displacement versus time only
B Displacement versus time and acceleration versus time
C Velocity versus time and acceleration versus time
Solution The correct answer is (D). The velocity versus time graph would have a straight line
upward, as the velocity is increasing at a constant rate over time. The acceleration
versus time graph should be a horizontal, straight line, since the acceleration due to
gravity is constant near the surface of the earth.
Short Answer
3.1 Acceleration
(21) True or false—The vector for a negative acceleration points in the opposite direction when
compared to the vector for a positive acceleration.
A True
A False
Solution The correct answer is (A). The direction a vector points is selected by the person
solving the problem, but positive and negative vectors always point 180° from one
another.
(23) How is the vector arrow representing an acceleration of magnitude 3 m/s2 different from
the vector arrow representing a negative acceleration of magnitude 3 m/s2?
A They point in the same direction.
A They are perpendicular, forming a 90° angle between each other.
B They point in opposite directions.
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C They are perpendicular, forming a 270° angle between each other.
Solution The correct answer is (C). A positive vector and a negative vector will point in
opposite directions.
3.2 Representing Acceleration with Equations and Graphs
(25) If a plot of displacement versus time is linear, what can be said about the acceleration?
A Acceleration is zero.
D Acceleration is a nonzero constant.
E Acceleration is positive.
F Acceleration is negative.
Solution The correct answer is (A). Acceleration is zero, because the velocity is either
constant or zero if the displacement vs time is linear.
(27) When plotted on the blank plots, which answer choice would show the motion of an object
that has uniformly accelerated from 2 m/s to 8 m/s in 3 s?
A The plot on the left shows a line from (0, 2) to (3, 8), while the plot on the right shows
a line from (0, 2) to (3, 2).
A The plot on the left shows a line from (0, 2) to (3, 8), while the plot on the right shows
a line from (0, 3) to (3, 3).
B The plot on the left shows a line from (0, 8) to (3, 2), while the plot on the right shows
a line from (0, 2) to (3, 2).
C The plot on the left shows a line from (0, 8) to (3, 2), while the plot on the right shows
a line from (0, 3) to (3, 3).
Solution The correct answer is (A). The data points are plotted on the velocity versus time
graph based on the given information of 2 m/s at 0 s and 8 m/s at 3 s. The points for
the acceleration versus time graph are determined by finding the acceleration using
a kinematic equation and drawing a horizontal line, representing a constant
acceleration, at that value, 3 m/s2.
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Extended Response
3.1 Acceleration
(29) A test car carrying a crash test dummy accelerates from 0 to 30 m/s and then crashes into a
brick wall. Describe the direction of the initial acceleration vector and compare the initial
acceleration vector’s magnitude with respect to the crash acceleration magnitude.
A The direction of the initial acceleration vector will point towards the wall, and its
magnitude will be less than the acceleration vector of the crash.
B The direction of the initial acceleration vector will point away from the wall, and its
magnitude will be less than the vector of the crash.
C The direction of the initial acceleration vector will point towards the wall, and its
magnitude will be more than the acceleration vector of the crash.
D The direction of the initial acceleration vector will point away from the wall, and its
magnitude will be more than the acceleration vector of the crash.
Solution The correct answer is (A). Initial acceleration vector is relatively short and points
toward the wall, that is, in the direction of motion. The acceleration vector for the
crash points away from the wall and is much longer.
3.2 Representing Acceleration with Equations and Graphs
(31) True or false—Consider an object moving with constant acceleration. The plot of
displacement versus time for such motion is a curved line while the plot of displacement versus
time squared is a straight line.
A True
A False
Solution The correct answer is (A). This is true because the slope of the first graph is velocity,
while the slope of the second graph is acceleration.
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