IB Physics Negative signs in Physics

In many equations in Physics there are negative signs. Sometimes answers have a negative sign. What does this mean? A tutorial sheet on these concepts follows.

  1. A particle moving in a straight line has a positive velocity and a negative acceleration. In words, describe the movement of the particle and sketch graphs showing its displacement, velocity and acceleration in terms of time.
  2. In the equation for heat conduction there is a negative sign. What does this mean?
  3. HL In Lenz's law there is a negative sign. What does this mean?
  4. HL extension. In the time dependent Schrodinger equation there is the imaginary unit. What does this mean?