I think that car has a dead pedal, otherwise that is the fattest clutch pedal I have seen by a longshot.

You’re applying acceleration to the gear switcher

In common usage, “accelerate” means “go faster”.

In physics “accelerate” means “change of velocity over time”. It doesn’t just mean that the velocity increases, just that it changes.

In common usage “velocity” is the same thing as “speed”.

In physics “velocity” is “speed in a specific direction”. So, “80 km/h” isn’t a complete velocity statement. “80 km/h going west” is.

So, a car going at a speed of 80 km/h has a velocity of 80 km/h in the forward direction. Pressing the accelerator causes an acceleration in the forward direction, increasing the speed/velocity. Pressing the brake causes an acceleration in the backward direction, decreasing the speed/velocity. Turning the wheel causes an acceleration in the left/right direction. In this case, the speed might not change, but the velocity changes because the direction of travel changes.

If you imagine blowing on an air hockey puck it’s a bit easier to understand. There’s a fundamental rule in Physics that F = m × a, force is equal to mass times acceleration. Or, force divided by mass equals acceleration. If you blow on an air hockey puck, you exert a force on it, causing it to accelerate. If the air hockey puck is moving away from you, blowing on it will cause a forward acceleration increasing its velocity. If you blow on it as it’s coming towards you, you cause an acceleration backwards, decreasing its velocity. If you blow on it as it’s passing by you, you accelerate it sideways. In every case the same F=m × a equation applies, but sometimes the speed gets bigger, sometimes it gets smaller. The trickier one to calculate is when the force causes the direction of travel to change. Then instead of just needing an “x” variable you need “x” and “y”, or if you’re talking about velocity, vx and vy.

So, in a car, the accelerator increases the engine output which causes a force on the tires that results in a forward acceleration. The brake pedal causes the brakes to exert a force on the tires which results in a backwards acceleration. The steering wheel causes the tires to exert a force on the car accelerating it left or right.

Acceleration is a change in velocity. When you press the gas pedal or brake, you feel positive or negative acceleration. When you turn the wheel, you feel sideways acceleration.

Another analogy is force: F=ma. You feel a force if you accelerate, brake, or turn the wheel; all three induce acceleration as defined in physics.

I am not smart but this is what I get from this meme.

It’s a play on how physics describes acceleration. In physics acceleration isn’t just about speeding up but any change in velocity.

So:

• Gas = Positive acceleration
• brake = negative acceleration
• steering = velocity takes speed and direction, so acceleration.

I learned something today.

I was taught in my younger days that “homonyms” were words that were spelled the same but pronounced differently, and “homophones” were words that were pronounced the same but spelled differently. “Break” and “brake” would then be homophones.

But it turns out “homonym” is the broader category including “homophones,” “homographs,” and words where both are true (same spelling and pronunciation, but different meanings). So homophones are homonyms.

TheMoreYouKnow.gif

P.S. Though Wikipedia says a more technical definition would limit “homonym” to, specifically, the third category, words that are spelled and pronounced the same but with different meanings. They give examples of “stalk” (part of a plant) and “stalk” (follow/harass a person), or “skate” (glide on ice) and “skate” (a type of fish).

P.P.S. This reminds me of the autoantonym (a word that is its own opposite) “cleave,” which can mean “to adhere firmly and closely or loyally and unwaveringly” or “to split or sever (something), especially along a natural line or grain.“ I don’t know if “cleave” is technically a homonym, or if these are simply two definitions for the same word, and I don’t know who would decide that. But it’s still a fun word.

Not to mention the driver’s hands and feet!

Well, with Alfas half of those accelerators probably don’t work!

(Actually jk, afaik this is only an old-timey joke now)

It’s an Alfa, “Break” might be the correct terminology /s

Joke of course, I love Alfa’s!

Well, I think you answered your own question 😅

Likely something to do with English being a secondary language to the vast majority of the world…

No, if there is constant pressure on the accelerator, there is a constant acceleration on the car.

The jerk comes with the rate of change of pressure on the pedal (e.g. if you stomp on it)

That would make the driver the jerk 🤔

Increasing speed -> acceleration Decreasing speed -> negative acceleration Changing direction -> Vector acceleration(change in velocity)

Acceleration in physics terms just means a change in velocity. Velocity is speed in a given direction. The steering wheel, gas pedal, and brake pedal all accelerate the vehicle.

Technically the gas pedal controls the change in acceleration, right?

Technically it controls the amount of air and/or fuel delivered to the engine (in a gas engine, the pedal directly controls airflow; in a diesel engine it directly controls fuel flow)

Gasoline is a liquid.

Depends on what you mean by “press” really

Moving your foot through a gas will displace the gas, and there will be a (albiet small) pressure difference around the foot as it moves through the gas. An increase on the side in direction of movement, a decrease on the opposite side of direction of movement, and some vortices on the sides.

Basically a very poorly designed wing.

I can imagine a scenario where you a gas is encased in a volume that you can reduce by stepping on it with your foot, thus pressurizing it.