Question

6) In the Bohr model of the atom, electrons are constantly accelerating, yet they are traveling at constant speed. Explain how something can be accelerating but not changing speed.

Answer 1

As in the bohrs model electron revolve around a fixed circular orbit.

And we should know that the velocity is a vector quantity so it depends both on the magnitude and direction

As the electron is revolves the direction of velocity changes at every point but the magnitude doesn't change.

But the velocity is a vector quantity we says its changing at every point as direction of velocity changes.

And the change in velocity per unit time is known as acceleration.

So thats why it is accelerating.

But as the magnitude of velocity dosn't changing so the speed is not changing because speed is a scalar quantity and speed only depends on the magnitude.