A car traveling at constant speed of 55 km/hr on a circular track. is the car accelerating?
yes - the velocity is changing direction
No, the car is not accelerating. Acceleration refers to a change in velocity, which includes both speed and direction. Since the car is traveling at a constant speed of 55 km/hr, there is no change in velocity, and therefore no acceleration.
To determine if the car is accelerating, we need to understand the definition of acceleration. Acceleration is the rate at which the velocity of an object changes over time. Mathematically, acceleration can be calculated by taking the derivative of the velocity function with respect to time.
In this case, the car is traveling at a constant speed of 55 km/hr. Since speed is the magnitude of velocity, and magnitude does not give a direction, velocity in this case can be considered constant as well.
When the velocity of an object is constant, the derivative of the velocity function with respect to time is zero. Hence, if the car is traveling at a constant speed of 55 km/hr, the derivative of its velocity with respect to time is zero, indicating that the car is not accelerating.
In summary, when a car travels at a constant speed on a circular track, it means that its velocity is constant, and therefore, there is no acceleration.