How would you respond to a claim that a car cannot accelerate westward while traveling eastward?

Acceleration is defined as a change in velocity, which includes both changes in the speed of an object and changes in its direction of motion. Velocity is a vector quantity that has both magnitude and direction. Therefore, it's entirely possible for an object, such as a car, to experience acceleration in a direction that is opposite to its current velocity.

In this case, if a car is traveling eastward but begins to accelerate westward, it's essentially slowing down its eastward speed while gaining speed in the westward direction. This situation often occurs in everyday driving when a driver applies the brakes to slow down but also turns the steering wheel to change direction. The car can decelerate (reduce its speed in the eastward direction) while simultaneously starting to speed up in the westward direction, which illustrates how acceleration can indeed oppose the existing velocity.

This understanding of acceleration as a vector allows for various motion scenarios, reinforcing the concept that direction and magnitude can change independently.