Question

Consider the car driving around a circular track. Once started, the driver maintains a speed of 45 m/h. Compare the driver's velocity with his acceleration in this case.
A)The car is accelerating because it is changing direction but the velocity is constant.
B) The car is traveling at a constant rate of speed so it is not accelerating and the velocity does not change.
C) Acceleration is the change in velocity so the car is experiencing a change in velocity and it is accelerating.
D) The car is traveling at a constant rate of speed so it is not accelerating but the velocity changes because the direction the car travels is constantly changing.

Answer 1

It is C. acceleration is the change in velocity so the car is expirencing a change in velocity and is accelerating. I did the quiz and got it right.

Answer 2

Answer:

C) Acceleration is the change in velocity so the car is experiencing a change in velocity and it is accelerating.

Explanation:

- Velocity is a vector quantity, which consists of a magnitude (the speed) and a direction. In the case of the circular motion, as in this problem, the speed is constant (45 m/h), but the direction is constantly changing, so the velocity is changing as well.

- Acceleration is also a vector quantity, whose magnitude is equal to the rate of change of the velocity, and the direction is given by the change in direction of the velocity. Therefore, since the velocity is changing, the acceleration in this problem is changing as well.