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Re: acceleration

Forum for Physics Educators <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu> writes:
-- The scalar acceleration has to do with speed. Speed is the
forward component of velocity.

I am accustomed to velocity having components, x and y or tangential
and radial

OK.

but forward?

Why not? If we can define the forward direction,
we can project off a component in that direction,
nicht wahr?
I guess I see no advantage in so doing but what you said later sure
derived it as existing.


Is that in the instantaneous direction of the vector?

Yes.

Will that not be differentially different in the next
differentially different time?

Yes, it will be different.
Then I would call that acceleration and I thought you said the
acceleration there was zero. Did I misread or misunderstand? This is the
root of what confused me in this thread.

I guess for my classes it is just simpler to stick with the constant
vector acceleration associated with the downward directed field.

Ken Fox