Final answer:
It is possible for speed to be constant while acceleration is not zero; for example, an object in uniform circular motion experiences acceleration due to continuous change in direction of velocity, even though its speed remains constant.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yes, it is possible for speed to be constant while acceleration is not zero. A classic example of this situation is an object in uniform circular motion.
When an object travels in a circular path with a constant speed, the direction of the object's velocity is continually changing, which means there is a continual change in velocity.
Since acceleration is defined as the rate of change of velocity over time and direction matters, the object is accelerating even though its speed (the magnitude of the velocity) does not change.
This is centripetal acceleration, which is always directed toward the center of the circular path and is responsible for changing the direction of the object’s velocity, not its speed.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yes, it is possible for speed to be constant while acceleration is not zero. This can occur in uniform circular motion, where the speed remains constant but the direction of motion changes.
In circular motion, the acceleration is always directed towards the center of the circular path but does not affect the speed unless there is a change in the radius of the path.