Does a train traveling at 20 mph on a curved track have a constant velocity?
To determine if a train traveling at 20 mph on a curved track has a constant velocity, we need to understand the concepts of velocity and acceleration.
Velocity is a vector quantity that describes both the speed and the direction of an object's motion. It is the rate at which an object changes its position. On the other hand, acceleration is the rate at which an object changes its velocity.
In the case of a train traveling at a constant speed of 20 mph on a curved track, we first need to understand that speed refers to the magnitude of velocity, which in this case is 20 mph. Since the magnitude of velocity remains unchanged, we can say that the train has a constant speed.
However, velocity includes both speed and direction. In the case of a curved track, the train is moving in a circular path. As the train follows the curve, its direction of motion continuously changes. Consequently, even though the train's speed remains the same, its velocity is changing due to the change in direction. This means that the train does not have a constant velocity.
To summarize, although the train traveling at 20 mph on a curved track has a constant speed, its velocity is changing due to the continuous change in direction along the curved path.