Reflecting on Velocity Changes in Physics
How does velocity change when a 2480 kg truck traveling north at 34 km/h turns east and accelerates to 57 km/h?
A. The velocity remains constant
B. The velocity changes in magnitude only
C. The velocity changes in direction only
D. The velocity changes in both magnitude and direction
Answer:
The 2480 kg truck's velocity changes in both magnitude and direction.
When the 2480 kg truck traveling north at 34 km/h turns east and accelerates to 57 km/h, both its speed and direction of motion change. Initially, the truck has a velocity in the northward direction. As it turns east, there is a change in its directional component of velocity. Since velocity is a vector quantity, this change in direction constitutes a change in velocity even if the speed had remained constant.
Additionally, the truck accelerates, which means its speed increases from 34 km/h to 57 km/h. This increase in the magnitude of velocity, combined with a 90-degree change in direction (from north to east), represents a significant change in the truck's overall velocity.