12.5 Curvilinear Motion: Rectangular Components

Question 1

Curvilinear motion can cause

Answer 1

changes in both the magnitude and direction of the position, velocity, and acceleration vectors.

Question 2

The velocity vector is always

Answer 2

directed tangent to the path.

Question 3

In general, the acceleration vector is

Answer 3

not tangent to the path, but

rather, it is tangent to the hodograph.

Question 4

If the motion is described using rectangular coordinates

Answer 4

then the components along each of the axes do not change direction, only their magnitude and sense (algebraic sign) will change.

Question 5

By considering the component motions,

Answer 5

the change in magnitude and direction of the particle’s position and velocity are automatically taken into account.