Question

How can an object accelerate WITHOUT changing its speed?

Answer 1

An object can accelerate without changing its speed if it changes its direction of motion. This is possible because acceleration is defined as the rate of change of velocity, which is a vector quantity including speed and direction. When an object changes its direction while moving at a constant speed, it experiences a change in velocity and hence, undergoes acceleration. This type of acceleration is called centripetal acceleration and is observed in circular motion or any type of motion where the object follows a curved path.