A particle that moves uniformly in a circular path is accelerating yet moving at a constant speed. Explain this statement.

Acceleration is a change in velocity over time. Velocity is different to speed, because it has a direction (for example a car moving at 10 mph along a road heading north will have a greater velocity due north than a car moving at 10 mph along a road heading north-east).

A particle moving in a circular path is constantly slightly changing its direction. Therefore its velocity is changing, and as a result so is its acceleration. If we take the particle to be a satellite and the circular path to be the orbit around the earth, the satellite is constantly accelerating towards the centre of the earth, like an object in free fall. However its forward velocity balances out the downward acceleration, which causes it to move in a circular path around the earth. The downward acceleration brings it lower only as much as the curvature of the earth itself. 

AL
Answered by Anna L. Physics tutor

15743 Views

See similar Physics A Level tutors

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

Give an example of 3 different types of radiation stating their make up, penetration and ionising effect.


A car is travelling at 10m/s when it brakes and decelerates at 2ms^-2 to a stop. How long does the car take to stop?


Why does Lenz's law have a minus sign?


A car is moving along a straight horizontal road, with a constant acceleration. The car passes point A, with a speed of ums(-1). 10 seconds later, passes point B, with a speed of 45 ms(-1). The distance from A to B is 300m. Find u.


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