Question

Is it possible for an object’s instantaneous velocity and instantaneous acceleration to be of opposite sign at some instant of time?

Answer 1

Of course.

Throw a ball into the air. Right after you release it, the velocity is upward, but the acceleration is downward.

Later, the velocity falls to zero; the acceleration is still downward.

Still later, the velocity goes downward; the acceleration is still downward.

Answer 2

Yes

Step-by-step explanation:

First Example:

- Throwing the ball up in the air with an upward velocity e.g 5 m/s. The ball moves in the direction of velocity. While the acceleration due to gravity is g = -9.81 m/s^2 is pointing downwards throughout the journey.

Second Example:

- The car at a certain speed decelerates down the road. It has certain positive velocity but after the driver applies or car slows down the acceleration is in the opposite direction to the motion or negative.