Question

Suppose that a car traveling to the west (-x direction) slows down uniformly as it approaches a traffic light. Which statement concerning its acceleration must be correct?

a. Its acceleration is positive.

b. Its acceleration is negative.

c. Its acceleration is zero.

d. Its acceleration is decreasing.

Answer 1

A car slowing down while moving westward has a positive acceleration because the deceleration occurs in the opposite direction of its movement, which is the positive x direction.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks about the nature of acceleration when a car is slowing down while traveling westward (negative x direction). According to the principles of physics, acceleration is defined as the rate of change of velocity. If a car is slowing down, it means that there is a change in velocity in the direction opposite to the car's motion.

In this case, since the car is moving westward and slows down, the acceleration is in the eastern direction (positive x direction). Hence, even though the velocity is negative (westward motion), the slower movement indicates a positive change in velocity, leading us to conclude that the acceleration is positive.