Question

Question #723f7

Answer 1

Steeper slopes affect acceleration more. Uphill the acceleration decreases, and downhill it increases.

Explanation:

Let's assume we're going up the slope.

A shallower slope, or one with a smaller gradient, will affect your acceleration up the slope a very small amount. A steeper slope will slow down your acceleration much more.

We can prove this mathematically.

Say we have an acceleration due to gravity of `9.8ms^-2`, intended acceleration up the slope of `50ms^-2` and two slopes - one of `10^o` and one of `80^o`. If we're going up, then the resultant acceleration on the `10^o` slope will be

`50 - 9.8sin(10) = 48.3ms^-2`

while up the `80^o` slope will be

`50 - 9.8sin(80) = 40.3ms^-2`

so, evidently, the more shallow slope affects the acceleration less.

Downhill, again the steeper slope affects it more, but in a positive direction - the steeper the slope, the more you accelerate, and the shallower the slope, the less you accelerate.