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A car on a circular path at constant speed is accelerated in what way relative to its velocity?
APermanently behind it
BPerpendicular to it
CParallel alongside it
DPrecisely against it
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. Perpendicular to it
1. At constant speed the size of the velocity never changes.
2. Only its direction changes, so the acceleration cannot lie along it.
3. The car is accelerated perpendicular to its velocity.
4. That perpendicular acceleration is the centripetal one.
_Source: OpenStax College Physics for AP Courses 2e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 6 'Uniform Circular Motion and Gravitation', sections 6.1-6.6_
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