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A girl is riding her scooter and finds that its speedometer reading is constant. Is it possible for her scooter to be accelerating and if so, how?
Show Answer
Yes. The speedometer shows only the magnitude of velocity (speed). If the scooter turns , the direction of its velocity changes even though the speed is constant. A change in velocity (here, in direction) means the scooter is accelerating — just like in uniform circular motion.
| Quantity | Does it change? |
|---|---|
| Speed (speedometer) | No — stays constant |
| Direction of velocity | Yes — on turning |
| Is it accelerating? | Yes |
