A car travels around a circular track at a constant speed. Which of the following statements about the car's acceleration is true?
Correct answer: C. The acceleration is directed inward toward the center of the circle.
- A. The acceleration is zero.
- B. The acceleration is directed outward from the center of the circle.
- C. The acceleration is directed inward toward the center of the circle.
- D. The acceleration is constant in magnitude and direction.
Explanation
When a car travels around a circular track at a constant speed, its velocity is changing because the direction of motion is constantly changing. Since acceleration is the rate of change of velocity, the car is indeed experiencing acceleration. The direction of the car's acceleration is directed inward toward the center of the circle. This is because the car is constantly changing its direction to move along the curved path, and acceleration always points toward the center of curvature. This type of acceleration is called centripetal acceleration. So, the correct answer is C) The acceleration is directed inward toward the center of the circle.
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