Question

An object is moving with constant non-zero velocity. Which of the following statements must be true?

1) The object is accelerating
2) The object is at rest
3) The object is changing direction
4) The object is not moving

Answer 1

An object with constant non-zero velocity is not accelerating, implying that its speed and direction are unchanged. This contrasts with motion at constant acceleration where the velocity changes at a constant rate. The object cannot be at rest, changing direction, or stationary.

Step-by-step explanation:

An object that is moving with constant non-zero velocity is not accelerating, provided its speed and direction remain unchanged. According to the principles of classical mechanics, this means that the object is not accelerating because acceleration is defined as a change in velocity, and velocity includes both speed and direction. Therefore, the correct statements from the options provided would be:

• The object is not at rest because it has non-zero velocity.
• The object is not accelerating since its velocity is constant.
• The object is not changing direction; otherwise, it would be accelerating.
• The object is not motionless since it has a non-zero velocity.

Understanding that motion at a constant velocity or uniform motion means there's no change in the object's velocity is crucial to correctly interpreting physical motion and applying concepts like the kinematic equations.