Explain why an object moving around a circle is said to be accelerating when it has no resultant force acting upon it.

If an object has no resultant force acting upon it then it is moving at a constant speed. Acceleration is a vector quantity meaning that it includes magnitude and direction. When it is moving around a circle the direction in which an object is moving is continuously changing; therefore, the object is constantly accelerating.

HO
Answered by Henry O. Physics tutor

1677 Views

See similar Physics A Level tutors

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

I do 400J of work compressing a gas, but I maintain the same temperature. What is the delta U, Q and W in this case?


How do you calculate the Earth's escape velocity?


What is gravitational potential and how can gravitational potential energy be used to estimate the escape velocity of a planet of mass m and radius r?


State what is meant by resonance and provide some examples where it is crucial.


We're here to help

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

© MyTutorWeb Ltd 2013–2025

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy
Cookie Preferences