Question

A particle is moving to the right. Can the force on it be acting to the left? If yes, what would happen? Can that force be acting downward? If yes, why?

a) Yes, particle accelerates leftward, Yes, particle accelerates downward
b) No, particle maintains constant velocity, Yes, particle accelerates downward
c) Yes, particle maintains constant velocity, No, particle accelerates upward
d) No, particle accelerates rightward, No, particle maintains constant velocity

Answer 1

A particle moving to the right can have a force act to the left, causing it to decelerate and possibly change direction, and it can also have a force act downward due to its weight, which would make it accelerate downward without affecting its horizontal motion.

Step-by-step explanation:

A particle moving to the right can indeed experience a force acting to the left. If a force acts on it to the left, the particle would accelerate leftward, which would lead to a decrease in its rightward speed, eventually causing it to stop and then start moving left if the force continues to be applied. Similarly, a force can act downward on the particle, which might be due to its weight pulling it towards the ground. This downward force does not affect the rightward movement directly but can cause the particle to accelerate downward, for instance, if the particle is in free fall.