When a vehicle's velocity changes continuously due to constant positive acceleration, several things occur. Let's explore the key aspects of this situation:
Increasing Speed: With constant positive acceleration, the vehicle's speed progressively increases over time. As the acceleration persists, the velocity of the vehicle will continue to rise.
Changing Direction: If the acceleration is in a different direction than the initial velocity, the vehicle may change its direction of motion. For example, if the car is initially moving forward and experiences positive acceleration, it will continue to move forward, but its speed will increase. If the car is initially moving in the opposite direction of the acceleration, the acceleration can eventually slow it down and reverse its direction.
Acceleration and Distance: The vehicle's displacement, or the change in its position, increases as the acceleration continues. The relationship between acceleration, time, initial velocity, and displacement is given by the kinematic equation:
displacement = initial velocity × time + 0.5 × acceleration × time²
Since the acceleration is always positive, the displacement will depend on the initial velocity and the time of acceleration.
Forces Involved: The continuous positive acceleration of the vehicle is related to the net force acting on it. According to Newton's second law of motion, the force is equal to the product of the mass and acceleration:
force = mass × acceleration
The engine of the vehicle provides the necessary force to generate the constant positive acceleration, allowing the vehicle to change its velocity continuously.
Overall, when a vehicle experiences continuous positive acceleration, its velocity increases over time, potentially changing its direction of motion and covering a greater displacement. This scenario is often encountered when a vehicle is accelerating to increase its speed or when it is navigating curved paths.