Question

What determines the nature of the path followed by the particle?
A. Speed
B. Velocity
C. Acceleration
D. None of these (AFMC)

Answer 1

It is a physical quantity which is defined as the rate of velocity. This physical quantity is also related to a body which is undergoing circular motion and, in this case, it is directed towards the center about which the body is undergoing the circular motion.

Complete answer:
Let us suppose a body that is moving in a straight line with velocity unless force acts on it. You know that the velocity contains both magnitude as well as direction. The velocity will only change when we apply the external forces. And whenever we apply the external forces the body is in accelerated motion. So, the velocity will only change when we apply force on a body. So, the nature of the path is determined by the acceleration. So, the correct answer is C.Acceleration determines the nature of the path followed by the particle.
Acceleration is defined as the rate of change of the velocity.
$a = \dfrac{{{v_2} - {v_1}}}{{{t_2} - {t_1}}}$
The acceleration determines the nature of the path followed by the particle.

Thus, the correct answer is option C.

Note: Speed is scalar quantity and velocity are vector quantity. Speed has no direction so it will not determine the path followed by the particle. But in case of velocity it has a direction but it will also not determine the path followed by the particle because the body comes up in motion whenever some forces are applied. If we change the direction of the path, we need to apply some forces and forces are directly proportional to the acceleration.