0-60 question

[crazyJDMstyle]

So I was sitting in physics today and my teacher was talking about acceleration and he said something about cars and I got to thinking.

If acceleration is a change in velocity or direction, then technically if you were driving straight down the highway at 60mph and you turn the wheel, isnt that a 0-60 time in a fraction of a second?

So technically you could say that your zero to sixty time is as long as it takes for the tires to gain traction and force the car in another direction or like 0.0001 seconds or something...........


wow...what am I talking about..im extremely bored and tired

[TheSnail]

You're talking about force and not acceleration.

[theicecreamdan]

If it wasnt 1 in the morning I could try to explain to you what the problem is with your reasoning. Mostly it has to do with vectors, I'm too slow and its been a long time since I have been in physics, but you wouldn't be starting at 0 if you are going 60 and turn just a little.

[TheSnail]

Its 3am here and I have been drinking, but I got an A in physics two semesters ago so I will try to give you a C+ answer. Acceleration depends on force in the same direction as velocity. About half way through your physics course you will learn about net force. As of now, your teacher is most likely talking about the one directional basic’s as well as having no resistance or air resistance. So basically, you are driving down the road, you turn, the force that was pushing you forward, now becomes lateral force and the force going with your velocity, a net force, that’s taking away your acceleration. Think of it this way. If you driving at 90deg and you turn to 60deg, then the force will be spread out between 90 and 60, thus losing acceleration due to the loss of force in the direction of velocity (60deg).

[RightWheelDrive]

if you are already moving on the freeway, no matter which way you move, you wouldn't be able to accelerate from 0-60 in a fraction of a second. Why? because you are not even starting from 0 mph. By turning, you would need to almost instantaneously get the car to go in a direction perpendicular of the initial direction of travel to do what you are talking about, which of course, is impossible for a car.

[420sx]

yea you should stay in the physics class a lil longer next time :D

[Phlip]

^^^ C'mon guys, perhaps he wanted to be able to say he was the one who exposed the technicality that gave him the fastest 0-60 time in the world on anything not a top fuel drasgster

[aznpoopy]

actually turning does count as an acceleration. the difference is the object is being accelerated in a different direction.

it's all about vectors. for instance, braking is also acceleration; except against the direction of motion.

this is a completely moot point, as a "0-60" time tradtionally refers to a cars ability to get to 60 mph from a deadstop, moving straight.

In fact, as acceleration is a vector, even "negative" acceleration is really an accurate term. An object that is getting faster (without turning) is accelerating in the direction of it motion, one who's velocity is decreasing is accelerating in the opposite direction. An ojects that is turning experiences an acceleration in a different direction entirely.

[wootwoot]

^^^ pretty much
If you maintain 70mph on the interstate and switch lanes or go around anything but a straight flat segment of road you are acclerating. You accelerate anytime your position changes from what it was prior to that point. You just arent acclerating from 0-60 mph when you make a slight change in acceleration...

[TheSnail]

What I am saying is if your driving in the X direction, and turn to the y direction you will be accelerating in the Y direction. That acceleration is not going to be much unless you get T-boned by another car. Plus you need to add more force to keep the same volocity in the x direction. If you dont then you will have negative acceleration in the x direction and positive acceleration in the y direction.

[theicecreamdan]

thesnail hit this one right on the head, I should try to catch up on my physics, its been 4 years for me now.