Why is an object that moves in a circular path accelerating when it has constant speed?

Think about the definition of acceleration - it is the rate of change of velocity. Your statement that the object's speed is constant is correct, can you think about why the object's velocity isn't constant? Velocity is a vector which means it has a direction as well as a magnitude, and the object's velocity is changing directiion (constantly) as it moves in a circle, therefore the rate of change of velocity = acceleration is non zero.

IS

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

When a 470 micro farad capacitor is discharged through a fixed resistor R, the pd across it decreases by 80% in 45 s. Calculate the time constant of the circuit


Calculate the resistance of a uniform wire of diameter 0.5mm, length 2m and resistivity 1.7x10^-8Ωm.


Light with a frequency of 200nm is shone on a sodium plate with a work function of 2.28eV and electrons start escaping the surface of the plate due to the photoelectric effect. What is the maximum kinetic energy of one of these electrons in eV?


How does an object in circular motion experience acceleration when it is going at a constant speed?