Question

Is it possible for a car to move in a circular path in such a way that it has a tangential acceleration but no centripetal acceleration?

Answer 1

It isn't possible for a car to move in a circular path without experiencing centripetal acceleration.

Step-by-step explanation:

Velocity is a vector, it means it has a magnitude and a direction. Acceleration is defined as a change in velocity. Tangential acceleration describes the change in magnitude (speed) and centripetal acceleration describes the change in direction of the velocity.

If the car moves in a circular path the direction of the motion changes all the time so the centripetal acceleration is always present. It isn't possible for a car to move in a circular path and not have centripetal acceleration. However, it is possible for a car to move in a circular path and experience centripetal acceleration but no tangential acceleration, so the speed is constant, as in the case of Uniform Circular Motion.

Answer 2

No, it is not possible

Step-by-step explanation:

The centripetal acceleration of the car is the acceleration of the car in uniform circular motion.

It is this centripetal acceleration that keep the body in circular motion.

The centripetal acceleration is given as

a = v²/r

it is not possible for an object to move in a circular path without centripetal acceleration.

Since, the car is moving in a path that is circular; the car must have a centripetal acceleration.

When a car is moving in circular path, it's velocity is changing direction and for this to be possible to must have an acceleration which is non-zero.

Thus it is impossible for a car moving in a circular path to have tangential acceleration but no centripetal acceleration.