An object undergoes uniform circular motion. Which pair of vectors is perpendicular?
A) Its centripetal acceleration and the centripetal force
B) Its centripetal acceleration and velocity vectors
C) All three vectors are mutually perpendicular: centripetal acceleration, centripetal force, and velocity.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In uniform circular motion, the velocity vector and centripetal acceleration vector are perpendicular to each other, as the centripetal acceleration vector always points towards the center of the circle and the velocity vector is tangent to the circle. The centripetal force vector is not necessarily perpendicular to either the velocity or acceleration vectors.

An Object Undergoes Uniform Circular Motion