Consider a ball thrown straight up. It goes up, then fallsdown. (Start by defini

Question

Consider a ball thrown straight up. It goes up, then fallsdown. (Start by defining the coordinate system. Defining thecoordinate system is always required; for this question, you get tomake the choice. Is up or down the positive y direction?Is left or right the positive x direction?) What is theacceleration of the ball on the way up? What is the accelerationwhen it reaches its highest point? Is the acceleration positive ornegative? What is the acceleration of the ball on the way down? Isthe acceleration positive or negative? I defined y as positive in the upward direction andx as positive to the right. I know that acceleration isconstant at 9.8 m/s2, but I can't figure out if it isnegative or positive. It seems like acceleration would be -9.8m/s2 on the way up, since the ball is slowing down. Isthis right? If acceleration is negative on the way up, is it positive onthe way down? Also, I know that the velocity is 0 at the highest point, butI can't figure out what the acceleration would be. I don't think itcould be zero since it is constant. I think it would have to beeither positive or negative 9.8 m/s2. Could someone PLEASE clarify this for me? Consider a ball thrown straight up. It goes up, then fallsdown. (Start by defining the coordinate system. Defining thecoordinate system is always required; for this question, you get tomake the choice. Is up or down the positive y direction?Is left or right the positive x direction?) What is theacceleration of the ball on the way up? What is the accelerationwhen it reaches its highest point? Is the acceleration positive ornegative? What is the acceleration of the ball on the way down? Isthe acceleration positive or negative? I defined y as positive in the upward direction andx as positive to the right. I know that acceleration isconstant at 9.8 m/s2, but I can't figure out if it isnegative or positive. It seems like acceleration would be -9.8m/s2 on the way up, since the ball is slowing down. Isthis right? If acceleration is negative on the way up, is it positive onthe way down? Also, I know that the velocity is 0 at the highest point, butI can't figure out what the acceleration would be. I don't think itcould be zero since it is constant. I think it would have to beeither positive or negative 9.8 m/s2. Could someone PLEASE clarify this for me?

Explanation / Answer

acceleration due to gravity is constant and always acts inthe same direction ("downward") at 9.8 m/s2. so ifyou defined up as positive, then g=-9.8 m/s2. inyour coordinate system, g=-9.8m/s2 all of the time,regardless of the value of velocity or position.

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