Chapter 4, Problem 5Q

To determine

Can an object have zero acceleration, and can it have zero velocity if only one force acts on the object.

Answer to Problem 5Q

Solution:

An Object cannot have zero acceleration if one force is acting on it but can have zero velocity.

Explanation of Solution

If only one force acts, then the net force cannot be zero. The object must be accelerating according to Newton’s second law.

F=ma

Where,

F is the force,

M is the mass,

and a acceleration.

a=F/m

a≠0

From above equation, acceleration cannot be zero. You cannot have zero acceleration.

Velocity can be zero. Velocity is a vector quantity which refers to the rate at which an object changes its position. For example, throwing a rock straight up in the air, as soon as it leaves your hand, the only force acting on it is the force due to gravity, when it reaches its maximum height, its velocity is zero for a moment before it returns to the ground.