Question

If a bus is moving to the left (has a negative velocity), slows down, then comes to a stop.
i) What is the direction of its acceleration? Is the acceleration positive or negative?
ii) What is the sign of an acceleration that reduces the magnitude of a positive velocity?

Answer 1

(i) The direction of the acceleration is positive. Here, as the object slows down. The direction of acceleration will be towards the right. So, the direction of acceleration will be positive ie opposite to negative velocity.

(ii) Acceleration should be negative to reduces the magnitude of a positive velocity.