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by yeroco on October 12th, 2009
The only slightly tricky part of this question is whether a car is accelerating while moving at a constant speed in a circle.
The answer is yes, because the definition of acceleration involves the change in the velocity *vector* which is not changing in magnitude as the car turns, but is changing in direction. So even a change of direction, not speed, is the result of an accelerating force.
In conclusion, the answer is "all of the above".
by Matrixbarf on October 12th, 2009
If you accept the definition of acceleration that says it is "a change in velocity or speed", then I would say all of the above. The reason I say this is because in each of those instances, the car is obviously changing speed or at least changing it's position at a measurable rate(thus changing velocity, even if slowing down).
by level headed on October 12th, 2009
Is this a trick question?. A car that is accelerating can only be a car that is speeding up. It can't be slowing down cause that would be decelerating and constant speed is just that, constant and not speeding up.
When did Isaac Newton make the three laws of motion?
by Answerbag Staff on May 19th, 2010
| 1 person likes this
Does frictional force acting on an object depend on the amount of force(opposite direction to the friction) applied to the object??
by Inddiggo:)) on June 23rd, 2011
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By following the Principle of Homogeneity, can we say S directly proportional to t² and t in S=ut +1/2 at² ?
'u' and 'a' are constant
by Asish_J on August 15th, 2011
| 1 person likes this
Can someone explain Newton's first law?? And the question?
by Inddiggo:)) on June 21st, 2011
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RADAR gun / LIDAR gun and measurement angle
by thecatsmeow on July 20th, 2011
| 1 person likes this
You're reading A car that is accelerating is : slowing down, speeding up, traveling a constant speed in a circle, all of the above or none of the above?
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Comments
How can it be slowing down?
by Prunesquallor on October 12th, 2009
It's not slowing down... it's changing direction, which does require force and therefore acceleration.
Look up "centripetal force" on wikipedia.
by yeroco on October 12th, 2009
Ah, I see. You said 'all of the above', and one of the above was 'slowing down'.
by Prunesquallor on October 13th, 2009
Oh, we had a disconnect there, yeah. Slowing down is a form of acceleration too... negative.
by yeroco on October 13th, 2009
Ah - that explains a lot. :)
by Prunesquallor on October 13th, 2009