Question

A particle moves at a constant speed in a circular path. Is it accelerated ? Give reason for your answer

Answer 1

Before I answer this, I want to ask what does acceleration mean? You should be able to easily answer it and put forward the definition "the rate of change in velocity " which is undoubtedly correct. but most of us think that change in velocity only means the change in magnitude if velocity , which is wrong. Velocity is considered to have changed if its direction has changed too. In a particle moving in circular path, its direction changes at every point. Thus it is accelerated.

hope it helps
Rahul Jha

Answer 2

Yes it is accelerated.
Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity.
When a particle moves in circular path it is changing its direction of motion in every second. So there is an acceleration.
This acceleration is called as the centripetal acceleration which help the particle to continue its motion in the circle.

If the velocity of the particle is v
and radius of circular path is r

Then the centripetal acceleration is equal to = $a_{centripetal} = \frac{v^{2}}{r}$