A car undergoes a uniform circular motion. The acceleration of the car

A car undergoes a uniform circular motion. The acceleration of the car is

zero

a non-zero constant

a non-zero but not a constant

None of the above

Answer is Right!

Answer is Wrong!

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-2 – 2019

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In uniform circular motion, the speed of the object (car) is constant, but its direction of motion is continuously changing. Velocity is a vector quantity (magnitude + direction). Since the direction of velocity is changing, the velocity itself is not constant. Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity. Therefore, there is a non-zero acceleration. The acceleration in uniform circular motion is the centripetal acceleration, which is directed towards the center of the circle. Its magnitude (a = v^2/r) is constant because the speed (v) and radius (r) are constant. However, the direction of the acceleration vector is continuously changing as the car moves around the circle. A vector quantity is constant only if both its magnitude and direction are constant. Since the direction changes, the acceleration vector is non-zero but not constant.

Acceleration is a vector quantity. For acceleration to be constant, both its magnitude and direction must be constant.

The acceleration in uniform circular motion is always perpendicular to the velocity vector and points towards the center of the circle. This causes the direction of velocity to change, resulting in circular motion, while the speed remains constant.

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