Question

How does a centripetal force cause circular motion? It acts at a right angle to the object's motion and causes the object to constantly change direction. It acts at a right angle to the object's motion and causes the object to constantly change speed. It acts in the direction of the object's motion and causes the object to constantly change direction. It acts in the direction of the object's motion and causes the object to constantly change speed.

Answer 1

Centripetal force comes from the Latin, centrum = centre and petere=to seek. It acts perpendicular to the object path, towards the center of the curve. This results in change of the direction of the object's velocity but not in change of object's speed.

So only the first option is correct: It acts at a right angle to the object's motion and causes the object to constantly change direction.

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

It acts at a right angle to the object's motion and causes the object to constantly change direction

Step-by-step explanation:

When an object moves in a circular path, the force acting on it is called the centripetal force. The magnitude of this force is given by :

`F=(mv^2)/(r)`

Here,

m is the mass of object

v is the velocity of object

r is the radius of circular path

When an object moves in a circular path, its direction keeps on changing while its speed remains the same. The centripetal force acts at an angle of 90 degrees to the motion of an object.

So, the correct option is (a). "It acts at a right angle to the object's motion and causes the object to constantly change direction".