Asked by ww

How does an object’s motion change as a result of centripetal acceleration?

The speed decreases in the same direction.
The speed increases in the same direction.
The direction changes along with the speed.
The direction changes but not the speed.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
The direction changes but not the speed.

Centripetal acceleration is perpendicular to the velocity (points toward the circle's center), so it changes the velocity's direction without changing its magnitude (a · v = 0). Only a tangential acceleration can change the speed.