Quote:
Originally Posted by bikenfool
Minor nit: you are misusing the term acceleration, "In physics, acceleration is the rate at which the velocity of a body changes with time" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acceleration. Of course, you are correct the engine doesn't know the difference. |
In physics, speed is commonly understood to be the scalar component of the velocity vector. The acceleration vector is understood to be the derivative of the velocity vector. So, in strict terms, one is in fact experiencing acceleration along different axes, when one is going uphill while DWL. There is a positive impulse on the vertical axis as the vehicle transitions from flat to incline, whicle then becomes negative as the vehicle loses speed. The impulse is as gradual as the transition. And in physics, impulse can be thought of as a function of acceleration, as it is defined as the integral of force (mass times acceleration) over time.
Constant speed is different - There's one positive impulse of vertical acceleration as the vehicle transitions from flat to an incline, and then another negative impulse as the vehicle transitions out of the incline.