Relation between the directions of force and motion

The direction of the force 𝐹⃗ exerted on a body is the same as that of the corresponding
acceleration 𝑎⃗, if the mass of the body is constant. This relation is expressed by the 2nd law of
Newton

𝐹⃗ = 𝑚 ⋅ 𝑎⃗

According to this we can state, that 𝐹⃗ and 𝑎⃗ are parallel to each other

𝐹⃗ ∥ 𝑎⃗
which is a fact, that can be helpful for the solution of physical problems. If you perhaps have
to determine an angle between two forces you can as well determine the angle between their
acceleration vectors.
Now the question arises, if this is also the case with the velocity vector, because if we give
thought to motions and how they are released, we could get the impression, that the force
acting on a body thereby could give a push to this body, so that it would get a velocity in this
direction. But this is not the case!
The following example will explain this. If we look at the equation of motion for the
projectile motion, we have got the equation for the velocity vector in unit vector notation
𝑣⃗(𝑡) = 𝑣𝑥 ⋅ 𝑖̂ + 𝑣𝑦 ⋅ 𝑗̂

or its description by the well-known vector notation

𝑣𝑥 𝑣0 ⋅ cos 𝜃
𝑣⃗(𝑡) = ( ) = ( )
𝑣𝑦 𝑣0 ⋅ sin 𝜃 − 𝑔 ⋅ 𝑡

with the components of the speed of the projectile

𝑣𝑥 = 𝑣0 ⋅ cos 𝜃
𝑣𝑦 = 𝑣0 ⋅ sin 𝜃 − 𝑔 ⋅ 𝑡

where 𝑣⃗0 is the constant initial speed with the components

𝑣0𝑥 = 𝑣0 ⋅ cos 𝜃
𝑣0𝑦 = 𝑣0 ⋅ sin 𝜃

and g = 9,81 m/s2 is the acceleration due to gravity.

If we now take the derivative of 𝑣⃗(𝑡) in order to find the acceleration, we get for the
component in x-direction

𝑑𝑣𝑥 𝑑
𝑎𝑥 = = (𝑣0 ⋅ cos 𝜃) = 0
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

as 𝑣𝑥 = 𝑣0 ⋅ cos 𝜃 = 𝑣0𝑥 is constant.

For the component of 𝑎⃗ in y-direction the derivative leads to

𝑑𝑣𝑦 𝑑
𝑎𝑦 = = (𝑣0 ⋅ sin 𝜃 − 𝑔 ⋅ 𝑡) = −𝑔
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

Thus the vector of the acceleration 𝑎⃗ is

𝑎𝑥 0
𝑎⃗(𝑡) = ( ) = ( )
𝑎𝑦 −𝑔

or in unit vector notation

𝑎⃗(𝑡) = −𝑔 ⋅ 𝑗̂
The vector 𝑎⃗ has no component in x-direction, whereas the vector 𝑣⃗ has got a component in x-
direction.

Now it becomes obvious, that the acceleration vector 𝑎⃗ and the velocity
vector 𝑣⃗ do not have the same direction in general.
Certainly there exist cases, in which the both vectors are pointing into the same direction, on
of these is the free fall of a body, but those cases are special cases and must not serve for
generalization.
If we now consider the force acting on the body and that its direction is the same as that of its
acceleration, corresponding to Newton’s 2nd law, we conclude, that in general 𝐹⃗ has not the
same direction as 𝑣⃗.