PHYSICS · Single correct · CBSE · Physics · Motion in a Plane · Motion in a Plane
Problem
A student claims that, because the speed of a stone whirled in a circle is constant, its velocity–time graph should also be a straight horizontal line. Which statement correctly explains why the claim is wrong?
(a) For uniform circular motion the body has zero acceleration, so its velocity–time graph should be a straight line through the origin, not a horizontal line.
(b) Velocity is a vector whose direction changes continuously even when its magnitude stays the same
(c) Because velocity in circular motion is really just the scalar speed, plotting it versus time gives the same horizontal line, so the student is actually correct.
(d) A velocity–time graph cannot be drawn for circular motion; one should draw only a speed–time graph instead.