Question detail
A car travels in a circular path at a constant speed of 20 m/s. Describe the acceleration of the car.
Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.
At a glance
Question
Type
exam_style
Style
Topic
Forces and motion
Question
A car travels in a circular path at a constant speed of 20 m/s. Describe the acceleration of the car.
Answer
The car is experiencing centripetal acceleration directed towards the center of the circular path. Although the speed is constant at 20 m/s, the continuous change in direction means the car is accelerating.
Explanation
This question assesses the ability to apply the concept of acceleration in a real-world scenario involving circular motion. It requires students to recognize that constant speed does not imply no acceleration when direction changes.
Common mistake
Misunderstanding Acceleration
Students often think that acceleration only occurs when an object speeds up, ignoring changes in direction.
Emphasize that acceleration occurs whenever there is a change in velocity, which includes changes in direction, even if speed remains constant.
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