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When a particle moves along a straight path, then the particle has
  • a)
    tangential acceleration only
  • b)
    centripetal acceleration only
  • c)
    both tangential and centripetal acceleration
  • d)
    none of the mentioned
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?
Most Upvoted Answer
When a particle moves along a straight path, then the particle hasa)ta...
The acceleration of a particle at any instant moving along a circular path in a direction tangential to that instant, is known as tangential component of acceleration or tangential acceleration.
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When a particle moves along a straight path, then the particle hasa)ta...
Particle Moving Along a Straight Path and its Acceleration

When a particle moves along a straight path, it can have two types of acceleration: tangential acceleration and centripetal acceleration. However, in the given question, the correct answer is option A, which states that the particle has only tangential acceleration. Let's understand why this is the case.

Tangential Acceleration
Tangential acceleration refers to the rate of change of the magnitude of velocity of the particle along its path. It indicates how fast the particle is speeding up or slowing down. Tangential acceleration occurs when the particle's speed (magnitude of velocity) changes.

Centripetal Acceleration
Centripetal acceleration, on the other hand, refers to the acceleration that keeps a particle moving in a curved path. It is always directed towards the center of the curvature and is perpendicular to the velocity vector. Centripetal acceleration occurs when the particle's direction changes, resulting in a curved path.

Explanation
In the given question, it is stated that the particle moves along a straight path. A straight path does not have any curvature, which means there is no change in direction. Therefore, there is no need for a centripetal acceleration to keep the particle moving in a curved path.

However, even though the particle moves along a straight path, it can still have a change in speed (magnitude of velocity). This change in speed results in a tangential acceleration. Therefore, the particle in this scenario will have only tangential acceleration.

To summarize, when a particle moves along a straight path, it does not have any centripetal acceleration because there is no change in direction. However, it can have tangential acceleration if there is a change in speed. Therefore, option A, which states that the particle has only tangential acceleration, is the correct answer.
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When a particle moves along a straight path, then the particle hasa)tangential acceleration onlyb)centripetal acceleration onlyc)both tangential and centripetal accelerationd)none of the mentionedCorrect answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?
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