Why is a body undergoing uniform circular motion said to be accelerating?

Question: Why is a body undergoing uniform circular motion said to be accelerating?

A body undergoing uniform circular motion is said to be accelerating even though its speed remains constant because its direction is continuously changing. This change in direction implies a change in velocity, which is the definition of acceleration.

Here's a breakdown of the concept:

• Uniform circular motion: This means the object moves in a circle with a constant speed. So, the magnitude of its velocity remains constant.
• Velocity: Velocity is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude (speed) and direction.
• Change in direction: As the object moves in a circle, its direction changes continuously.
• Acceleration: Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity. Since the direction of velocity changes even though its magnitude remains constant, there is a non-zero acceleration.

Think of it like this: Imagine you're holding a ball attached to a string and swinging it in a circle. Even though the ball's speed stays the same, it's constantly changing direction as it goes around the circle. This change in direction requires a force to maintain the circular motion, which is the centripetal force. This force causes the object to accelerate towards the center of the circle.

Therefore, even though the object's speed remains constant, its direction changes continuously, making it undergo acceleration towards the center of the circle, known as centripetal acceleration. This acceleration is responsible for keeping the object moving in a circular path.

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