Question

Suppose that a car traveling to the west begins to slow down as it approaches a traffic light. Which of the following statements about its acceleration is correct?

O Since the car Is slowing down, its acceleration must be negative.
O The acceleration is toward the west.
O The acceleration is zero.
O The acceleration is toward the east.

Answer 1

The car traveling west and slowing down has acceleration toward the east, which means it has a negative acceleration if we consider westward direction as negative.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a car traveling to the west begins to slow down as it approaches a traffic light, the correct statement about its acceleration is that the acceleration is toward the east. This is because acceleration is defined as the rate of change of velocity over time. If the car is slowing down while moving westward, the acceleration is in the opposite direction of its movement, which is eastward. In this context, slowing down implies a negative acceleration in the direction of travel. Therefore, if the west is considered the negative direction, then the car's slowing down results in positive acceleration toward the east.