Why is an object moving in a circle at a constant speed said to be accelerating?

First of all, it is important to remember that an object's acceleration is the rate of change of its velocity, not its speed. Velocity is a vector quantity and so must have a direction as well as a magnitude. As the direction the object is travelling in is changing, its velocity is also changing and so it must have an acceleration even if the magnitude of the velocity (the speed) is constant. This acceleration is perpendicular to the velocity of the object at any given time and points towards the centre of the circle.

SG
Answered by Sam G. Physics tutor

14767 Views

See similar Physics A Level tutors

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

What is the definition of a moment?


How would I resolve forces on a slope?


A cable with a diameter of 6mm is used to lift crate. Calculate the mass of the crate required to create a stress of 350 MPa.


The LHC accelerates protons to a speed of 0.999999991c around a 27km ring. Due to relativistic effects, their mass increases. Given that the magnetic fields used are 8T, calculate this mass. What is the total energy of an LHC beam containing 3e14 protons?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2025 by IXL Learning