1. Let's analyze the expression where $a$ is raised to the power 2, i.e., $a^2$. 2. The key property of exponents is that squaring any real number, whether positive or negative, results in a non-negative number because: $$a^2 = a \times a$$ 3. If $a$ is negative, say $a = -b$ where $b > 0$, then: $$a^2 = (-b)^2 = (-b) \times (-b) = b^2 > 0$$ 4. Therefore, even if $a$ is negative, $a^2$ is always positive or zero (if $a=0$). 5. This means that the base $a$ can be negative, but the value of $a^2$ will never be negative. 6. This is an important rule when dealing with powers: squaring eliminates the sign of the base. Final answer: $a^2$ is always non-negative regardless of whether $a$ is positive or negative.