* Uniform Speed: This means the car's speed is constant.
* Circular Motion: This means the car's direction is constantly changing.
Why Acceleration?
Acceleration is a change in velocity. Velocity has both speed and direction. Even though the car's speed is constant, its direction is changing continuously as it moves in a circle. This change in direction means the car's velocity is changing, and therefore it's accelerating.
Centripetal Acceleration
This specific type of acceleration is called centripetal acceleration because it always points towards the center of the circle. It's what keeps the car moving in a circle instead of continuing in a straight line.
Formula:
The magnitude of centripetal acceleration (a) is calculated using:
* a = v² / r
* v = speed of the car
* r = radius of the circle
Important Note: While the car has centripetal acceleration, its speed remains uniform.
