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Robert Cohen asks if g can be a vector pointing downward. If we do t=
his, what does it represent? As others point out, g itself is not th=
e acceleration.
I forget who pointed out, that this is a good reason for not teaching
acceleration before teaching about forces, but I agree
whole-heartedly. I think a much more logical approach is to talk
first about constant velocity motion, then introduce the idea of
momentum, followed by force, which leads to Newton's laws and then
acceleration becomes a natural concept, which helps to give substance
to Newton's laws. Our school's introductory syllabus, with a few
minor modifications, is basically this sequence, at least in one of
the two introductory courses we teach.