1. Constant Speed: The car needs to maintain a steady speed without increasing or decreasing.
2. Constant Direction: The car needs to travel in a straight line without turning or changing its direction.
In other words:
* No acceleration: Acceleration is any change in velocity, so for constant velocity, the car needs zero acceleration. This means no speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction.
Forces and Constant Velocity:
To maintain constant velocity, the forces acting on the car must be balanced:
* Forward Force: The engine provides a force to propel the car forward.
* Friction: The car experiences friction from the tires on the road, air resistance, and internal components.
* Gravity: Gravity acts on the car, pulling it downwards, but this force is usually counteracted by the road.
For constant velocity, the forward force needs to be equal and opposite to the combined forces of friction and gravity.
If the forces are not balanced, the car will either accelerate (speed up) or decelerate (slow down) and its velocity will no longer be constant.
