Final answer:
An object can accelerate by speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction. In a car, these types of acceleration are achieved through the gas pedal, brakes, and steering wheel. A rocket uses the expulsion of gases to propel itself forward, demonstrating Newton's Third Law of Motion.
Step-by-step explanation:
There are three primary ways an object can experience acceleration. These include:
- Speeding up: This is when an object's speed increases.
- Slowing down: Also known as deceleration, this occurs when an object reduces its speed.
- Changing direction: Even if an object maintains its speed, if it changes direction, it is considered to be accelerating because its velocity is changing.
For example, a car accelerates by using the gas pedal to speed up, applying the brakes to slow down, or by using the steering wheel to change direction. A rocket propels itself and accelerates by expelling exhaust gases in one direction, which, in accord with Newton's Third Law of Motion (action and reaction), propels the rocket in the opposite direction.
Each of these actions involve a change in velocity, which is the definition of acceleration. Remember that in circular motion, such as a car going around a bend or an object in orbit, the object is continually changing direction, and therefore, is continuously accelerating, termed as centripetal acceleration.